BALKAN FEARS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 140, 15 June 1936, Page 7

BALKAN FEARS.

PLANS FOR SECURITY. Little Entente Staffs Meet In Conference. WEAKENING LEAGUE. United Press Association.—Copyright. (Received 11 a.m.) BUCHAREST, Juno 14. In accordance with a previous agreement, the Chiefs of Staffs of the Czecho-Slovakian and Yugoslav armies, accompanied by representatives of the principal sections, have arrived here to begin a five-day conference aiming at the co-ordination of the Little Entente defences (Rumania, Czecho-Slovakia and Yugoslavia). The problems to be discussed include unification of armaments and the establishment of new armament works in Rumania and Yugoslavia, which would co-operate with Czecho-Slovakian factories. The convocation of the conference is regarded in diplomatic circles as an indication of the seriousness with which the Little Entente views the situation in consequence ol the weakening of the League and the breakdown of collective security. REFORM OF LEAGUE. Senor Madariaga Makes Novel Proposals. "SECOND COVENANT." GENEVA, June 14. The chairman of the League's Committee of Thirteen, Senor Madariaga, has prepared a memorandum containing a plan for tlie reform of the League, which includes two novel features.

The first provides that members of the League might make a reservation not to apply Article XVI. of the Covenant until the League is universal and disarmament is achieved. The second feature is that a "second Covenant" without Articles X. and XVI. or other controversial points, might be devised for countries, like the United States, which are unwilling to assume full League obligations.

Article 10 of the Covenant or the League of Nations states: "The members of the League shall undertake to respect and preserve as against external agression, the territorial integrity and existing political independence of all members of the League. In case of any such aggression, or in case of any threat or danger of such aggression, the Council shall advise upon the means by which this obligation shall be fulfilled." Article 1(5 declares that should a member of the League resort to war in disregard of the Covenant it shall be deemed to have committed an act of war against the others, and the Article goes on to outline the sanctions policy as recently adopted.