INTERNATIONAL WAR CHEST

Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 61, 6 December 1926, Page 11

INTERNATIONAL WAR CHEST

FINNISH PROPOSAL TO LEAGUE OF NATIONS

TO FINANCE MEMBERS THREATENED BY WAR AND AVOID MAINTENANCE OF HEAVY ARMAMENTS One of the foremost questions to be considered by the Council of the League of Nations this week at Geneva will be a proposal submitted by Finland for the provision of an international war chest to finance any member of the League becoming a victim of aggression.

BT TILJIGKAIH.—PBSSS ASSOCTATIOX.— Co PT BIGHT.

(Rec. December i, 5.5 p.m.) London, December 4. Among the foremost questions to eome before the League of Nations , Council at Geneva next week will be a t Finnish proposal for an international war chest to be placed at the disposal of any nation threatened by war.. A tentative suggestion is that Britain •and the other Great Powers undertake, in the event of a member of the League becoming a victim of aggression, to provide an immediate loan up fo, say, fifty millions, each Power promising to find ten millions. Each Government would guarantee that its share would be raised by its bankers. According to the Finnish proposal this would avoid the necessity of exposed States, such as those along the Russian frontier, maintaining heavy armaments and munition factories. The League Council’s sub-committee yesterday decided to instruct the Finan-. < ■ cial Committee to examine the Finnish ■ - proposal and all analogous measures The Finnish representative thanked members for the interest shown in the question. BRITAIN’S POSITION UNDER THE SCHEME. The “Daily Telegraph’s” diplomatic correspondent regards this proposal -to ' implement Article 6 of the Covenant as amazing. “It seems that the British taxpayer would be required to repay a loan from which only a foreign country or armament firms would benefit, since we know from past experience that war loans made bv Britain, even to the richest countries, arc not recoverable. Once we start financing such operations we must go on. Finally, the proposals will tend to make the smaller countries “unreasonably sensitive and bellicose.” WAR CREDITS UP TO TEN MILLIONS AUTHORITY TO BRITISH REPRESENTATIVES \ " , — ' . (Rec. December 5, 11.5 p.m.) London, December 5. The diplomatic correspondent of the "Sunday Express” mentions as an astonishing fact that'Mr. Churchill authorised the British representatives on the League Finance Committee to consider the granting of war credits up to ten millions, under the Finnish proposal cabled . yesterday, and adds: “Mr. Churchill may argue that the amount will be the real maximum, and that moreover it may never be required and will not be given in any case, unless other Powers agree to make similar advances, but it is not clear how the money once given will be recovered, and from whence.” f CHAMBERLAIN AND BRIAND CONFER AGREEMENT REGARDING GENEVA AGENDA (Rec. December 5, .5.5 p.m.) Paris, December 4. Sir Austen Chamberlain, en route to Geneva, .lunched with MM. Briand, Poincare, and Herriot. Sir Austen Chamberlain and M. Briand subsequently conferred regarding /policy, specially referring to questions which will be discussed at Geneva, and were in complete agreement on them.

SPECULATION CONCERNING CONVERSATIONS GERMAN PRESS HIGHLY SUSPICIOUS (Rec. December 5, 11.5 p.m.) London, December 5. Speculation is rife concerning the conversations between Sir Austen Chamberlain and M. Briand in Paris, especially in Germany, where the dominant question is the withdrawal of military control. German newspapers are highly suspicious, and deprecate any Franco-British agreement before the Conference of the League Council. They especially fear the postponement of the disarmament question until the March session. The prospects of a four-Power meeting are considered more remote. It is understood that Signor Mussolini at present is of opinion that it would be premature, owing to insufficient preparation. PREVENTION OF WAR EFFORTS OF LEAGUE STATEMENT BY VISCOUNT CECIL (Rec. December 5, 11.5 p.m.) London, December 5. Viscount Cecil, in Geneva, stated that he was well satisfied with the result of the Disarmament Sub-Commit-tees’ deliberations. These possibly will Ije the turning-point in the League’s history. The League now. is turning its attention to the prevention of war, instead of provision for the punishment of an aggressor. “Under the projects we have ordered to be prepared,” said Viscount Cecil, "the League would be convoked immediately a threat of war was made, and it would remain in constant session, utilising every means to prevent war. Had it been possible in August, 1914, to summon such a Council, it is almost certain that the Great War would have been prevented. We Have also recommended measures which will enable the Council, to use all the League’s weapons and influence on behalf of an attacked nation in the event of war being actually started.” MANDATES QUESTIONNAIRE GOVERNMENTS’ REPLIES (Rec. December 5, 5.5 p.m.) Geneva, December 4. The secretary-general of the League has distributed the replies from the French, New Zealand, and South African Governments relating to the questionnaire drawn up by the permanent Mandates Commission in reference to the administration of mandated territories, and the eventual hearing of petitioners by the Commission. The replies are practically on the lines of the recent reply by the British Government, deprecating both the questionnaire and the hearing of petitioners. General Hertzog says: “My Government is unreservedly in agreement with the observations and opinions of the British Government.” Mr. Coates declares: “The New Zealand Government concurs entirely in the representations contained in the reply' of His Majesty’s Government.”