POLICING THE NATIONS

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21812, 18 June 1936, Page 6

POLICING THE NATIONS

AN INTERNATIONAL FORCE ADDRESS BY SIR ROBERT CLARK HALL The possibility of establishing an International police force to maintain order among the nations was discussed by Air Marshal Sir Robert Clark P*ll in an address to the League of Nations Union last evening. He emphasised that no such ideal could be realised unless the League of Nations were given far greater power to interfere in the sovereign rights of States than it had at present Dr. R. R. D. Milligan, who presided, said that the use of coercion to maintain the law made by international authority was one of the essential features of the covenant of the League of Nations. An international police force, if established, must be controlled by an impartial authority in which at least a majority of nations had impicii trust, said Sir Robert Clark Halt That was the first and essential consideration. The force itself, he thought, should be a combination of the air, land, and sea arms. Several factors would affect the strength required in such a force. If, after the establishment of a central authority the nations were still maintaining fighting forces, the international force would have to be strong enough to meet any probable combination of these. If the nations had agreed not to maintain armies, the international police force, equipped with modem arms, need not be large. Direct Control Bwential The command of the international force was of supreme importance. It must be under the immediate control of the central authority. The recent international situation demonstrated how clashing interests prevented immediate action. The position would have b«m very different if the League of Nations had at its disposal a force it could use without consulting anybody. Direct control of the police force by the central authority was essential. For the maintenance of the force all the member states should contribute •owning to their means. There were difficulties in controlling a force made up of man of a number of nationalities. It would be advisable to have men of not more than five nations in it. There ware some nations—he would not name them—whose people were not really good fighters. The men in the force should as far as possible belong to nations not likely to be embroiled in disputes. Each unit—ships, regiment, or squadron—should be manned by men from one nation. Barracks, aerodromes and ports would have to be available all over the world for the use of the force. If W country appeared likely to “go and cause trouble,” it would be to withdraw the force stalumea in it to prevent internment in ISl5?2 t *w £ * a H outbreak - K been ij w that the men in such a force W ij P® merely mercenaries, and would have no incentive to devote themselves to the ideals of the authority they served Yet history illustrated SLKJT 17 ®*-* ® e «enary soldiers fighting for Britain, Prance and other nations m the past Power of Central Authority ♦h£ f Jf!r,^ analysis ' Sir Robert added ‘^ t .h*®puld see no insuperable techniS“ ~®® u i ties the way of establishing an international police force. The the central authority must first be defined. In a leading article the L f ague 01 Na*tiS he ?“ d read 2 16 words: “ No matter how like another citiffjif P r pP«rty he is not allowed to seize it by force. That was only half the truth, to which should be added but he may quite properly become Possessed of it by a redistribution of property imposed by the Government ity "^Whaf 1 smni ° f the commun * a PPhed to a community of EwH !? oul , d a PP Iy als <> to the com£mi t L o£natlon,L can understand TBwfiw ei^ ners re « ar ding the British 8 011 collective security hypocritical,” he said. n °t .V? e Peoples of the Empire of we #thy people who say that they are all in favour of authoHtv 10 . sovernment-a centra! Wltb a Pohce force-pro-that central author- £» S y way “titled to intercSfm t£t t^ iI USl <?perty ’ and wh o it lT a^m^ Wyth,n i g ,s aII right as “i.h X wliceXvr„* SO t£ d J« maintaining this Son j ° b ° f neverbe , na V° ns which will nev«- oe prepared to join any svstem on these conditions. That is why Japan

"There is no hope of such an intpr SKSd’.'SK" as I h“e”debuitjj“£?»* central authority is sa&, a ss S s - h “ v «»sSi« laws, “and ,^ 1 t l i^L W * ork of such bodies the i£/ 1 S U l d i be t 0 study Bnt * foster ° f a le ®Bue with very much powers than the existing one” a , v . ote of thanks to s wTasa m °«°a