ARBITRATION.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18186, 24 September 1924, Page 9

ARBITRATION.

LEAGUE PROTOCOL.

THE TEXT PUBLISHED.

DISARMAMENT SCHEME A

NECESSARY PRELIMINARY

(BSCTIB's TSLXGBAMS.) (Received September 23rd, 5.20 p.m.) GENEVA, September 22. The provisional text of the Arbitration and Disarmament Protocol, which has been published, subject to modification, generally follows the lines cabled earlier.

Article One amends Article 12 of the League Covenant and forbids a member of the League to engage in warfaro with another member, excepting in the case of resistance to acts of aggression, or when acting vfith the consent of the League. Article Fiwe defines an aggressor as a "country refusing to submit a dispute for pacific settlement, or to conform to a judicial ruling, an arbitral award, or a unanimous decision of tho Council.''

The Hague Court will bo arbitrator when international law is involved, while upon the Council devolves the responsibility of deciding whether an act of war has been committed illegally, and of applying the appropriate sanctions.

Another article authorises an invitation to be issued to non-members of the League to submit to the provisions of the Protocol when engaged in a dispute with a signatory of the Protocol. The question of the economic and financial sanctions to be inflicted on a wrong-doer shall, under Article Seven, be decided by the economic and financial organisations of the League. Article Eight requires the signatories to give the Council, in advance, undertakings regarding the extent of military, ua.val and air forces they would be able to bring into action immediately in order to enforce the provisions of the Protocol, while signatories may provide the whole or any part of their military, naval, and. air forces to assist a victim of aggression. All cost of such operations 6hall be imposed on the aggressor. Unless a majority of the permanent members of the Council, and 10 other members, ratify the Protocol by May Ist, 1925, the invitations to the Disarmament Conference shall be cancelled. The Protocol is not to take effect until a disarmament scheme is adopted. Meantime the Council is to draft a programme of disarmament, which is to be communicated to the Powers at least two months before the Conference meets.

The Protocol will also laps© v if the Conference's disarmament scheme is not carried out within a period to be fixed by the Conference, while any member of the Conference not conforming to the disarmament echeme within a fixed time limit will be excluded from the benefits of the Protocol. An appendix stipulates that differences in regard to the interpretation of the Protocol shall be submitted to the International Court of Justice.

BRITAIN'S POSITION.

USE OF THE FLEET.

A RESERVATION PROPOSED. (&bctee's telighams.) (Received Saptember 23rd, 10.15 p.m.) GENEVA, September 23. The draft Arbitration Protocol was discussed by the Armaments Committee, when Mr Henderson made important reservations as regards the use of the British Fleet, which he declared must retain entire Liberty of. action. He said the British Government was of opinion that it was inconceivable that the British Empire should make war against the Covenant or against the Protocol. Therefore, it only envisaged the case in which it might become engaged in warlike operations on behalf of the Covenant and with the approval of the League. The Government was sure in such a case that it would be necessary and desirable, in the general interest as well as in Britain's particular interest, that the British Fleet should bo able to operate with the freedom which would be required ' to secure rapffl success. Therefore, Britain proposed the reservation that disputes arising out of warlike operations undertaken by the British Empire lin support of tiie League should not be referred to the Permanent Court for settlement. The reservation did not appear to limit in any way the value of what the League was doing. Nobody desired the Permanent Court to become a body controlling military operations. Therefore, he believed that in safeguarding the'liberty of action of the British Fleet—which above all must be safeguarded—they were not acting contrary to the general interests of the nations of the world. Dr Benes (Czechoslovakia), reportin* on behalf of the Discussions SubCommittee, declared that the Protocol did not overstep the frame of the Covenant. In the matter of sanctions, the signatories of the Protocol undertook nothing new, though the obligations became more precise and efficacious. The agreement reached by tho subcommittee had resulted in the elaboration of the system, leading to the goal of their desires. ° Their responsibility was grave, but, despite the difficulties, ho hoped the discussions of the Third Committee, then afterwards of the Assembly, and finally tho acts of tho Governments when it came to tho cjuestion of sifi-

nature, would not cause disappointment to the millions of human beings who were looking to Geneva with one word only—"Peace''—on their lips. The discussion was adjourned.

MANDATES REPORT.

ADOPTED BY ASSEMBLY. (bstttxb's tslegsxjjs.) GENEVA, September 22. The principal item of interest at this morning's debute in Use League of -\ations Assembly was the report of the Mandates Commission presented by Dr. Nansen (Norway), who returned early this morning from Lake Constance after an interview with l>r. Marx (German Chancellor). Dr. Nansen expressed appreciation of Mr G. R. Hofmeyer's (South Africa) co-operation during the discussions of the Permanent Mandates Commission, and hoped other mandatory Powers would follow the example of South Africa and in future depute to Mandates Commission officials who are personally responsible the administration of mandated territories.

Mr C. R. Buxton (Great Britain) declared that tho question of the prohibition of liquor traffic in mandated territories needed further investigation. If Prohibition were applied to Blacks it should also be applied to Whites.

The report of the committee was adopted, also 'the report dealing with slavery.

THE NEWS IN LONDON.

FULLER REPORTS AWAITED

LONDON, September 23,

Newspapers received the Geneva.' cables too late for comment, but there are indications that available reports will fail to clear up doubts and relieve the anxiety which has been widely expressed lately regarding the extent to which the British Fleet will be committed, although one report gives Mr Henderson as saying that troops ajid ships will not be placed at the disposal of the Council of the League as it thinks fit. A fuller report of Mr Henderson's speech will be eagerly awaited, because several of the cabled passages areobscure and require elucidation and amplification. Tho "Daily Chronicle," in an editorial on tho general subject, says: "For Britain it is all-important that Amerca, Germany and Russia are outside the League. To commit omselves to armed action not of our own choice, but at the word of a body which falls so far short of representing the world's civilisation, would be a different thing from obeying the behests of the whole civilised world. Therefore Ave ought not to bo in a hurry to strain the functions of tho League too heavily."

ADMISSION OF GERMANY.

DR. MARX IN SUPPORT.

(AUSTRALIAN AKD N.Z. CABLE ABSOCIATIOX.)

BEELIN, September 22,

Speaking at a party meeting at Radolfzell, Baden, Dr. Marx (Chancellor) said it should be understood and agreed that Germany is maintaining her honour and is recognised as ;i Great Power..

Germany should apply for admission to the League' of Nations, which ought to leavo her freedom and be just to her justifiable claims. They ought not to let slip any opportunity to achievo this end. Dr. Marx did not yet know whether Cabinet would come to a decision on Tuesday, but thought at present that the factors making for such a course had the upper hand.

INTERNATIONAL LAW. (AUSTRALIA* AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATES.) (Received September 23rd, 7.53 p.m.) GENEVA, fclootember 23. The First Committee adopted Sweden's proposal for appointing a body of exports to prepare A. list of subjects of international law which should be regulated by international agreement. [\rticlc 12 of the Covenant of the League of Nations (which it is now proposed to amend) reads:— 'lhe members of tho League agree that if there should arise between them tiny dispute likely tc lead to a rupture, they will submit the matter either to arbitration or to enquiry by the Council, and they agree in no case to resort to war until three months after the award by the arbitrators or the report by the Council. In anv ease under this article the award of the arbitrators shall be made within a reasonable time, and the report of the Council shall be made within six months after the Gubmission of the dispute.]