THE KELLOGG PACT

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 140, 9 March 1929, Page 9

THE KELLOGG PACT

ALLEGED STATEMENT BY CHAMBERLAIN “MERELY AN AMERICAN GESTURE FOREIGN SECRETARY’S DENIAL (United Press Association.—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) Australian Press Association. London, March 7. The latest attempt to promote discord in Anglo-American relations is found in a New York dispatch from Geneva purporting to reveal that Sir Austen Chamberlain in a confidential ponference with British journalists described the Kellogg Pact as merely an American gesture suitable to Americans alone. Further, when asked as to the effect of the Pact on disarmament, Sir Austen said: “They are building 15 cruisers, aren’t they? Disarmament is at least affected by the Washington manoeuvre.” Sir Austen Chamberlain, shown the statement at Geneva, gave categorical denials to it Thq British United Press correspondent at Geneva says that Sir Austen Chamberlain did make a confidential statement to correspondents, but fearing that it would be misinterpreted forbade publication. This veto was obeyed, except by one American who got the story second-hand.

VALUE OF THE PACT ONE MORE BARRIER AGAINST WAR CHAMBERLAIN CLARIFIES SITUATION (British Official Wireless.) Rugby, March 7. As a sequel to the publication in American newspapers of a telegram from Geneva which attributed to Sir Austen Chamberlain a remark reflecting on the value of the Kellogg Pact alleged to have been made by him when 'replying to a question during an interview with British correspondents, the British Foreign Secretary to-day made the following striking pronouncement to Press representatives at Geneva: “Let . me say quite definitely and explicitly, that I said, nothing to belittle the .iniportance- of the Kellogg Pact. If I hail done so,’ it would have been lp contradiction with every public utterance that I have made since the Pact was first proposed to us, and it would fee. directly 'contrary to the spirit in ■which both' the British Government and the British people welcomed and supported Mr.' Kellogg’s initiative. “Since’ I spoke to the British Press I have had the'opportunity,'which I had not then had,’of reading President Hoover’s inaugural speech, and though otir thoughts were naturally expressed in different language, if I may be permitted to say so, I discovered no great difference between' the President said and What I said to . you here, i I have always regarded the Kellogg Paet as one more barrier erected by international co-operation against war. It goes .to confirm and fortify engagements already taken under other auspices by many nations. It is. common ground to us all that these engagements, valuable as they are for the maintenance of peace, are not an absolute guarantee against war. The President said : ‘Peace will become a reality only through self-restraint and active effort in friendliness and helpfulness? It is to such a change in the international outlook and in the standard of international relations that I, like the President, look to make real and solid the improved conditions which already reign among us; “The question put to me the other day was whether I expected the' Kellogg Pact to' have an immediate and large effect on the progress of disarmament. As.to this, it would be dangerous to be too sanguine. , The President himself in the passage from

which I have already quoted, observes that ‘peace can be contributed to by respect for our ability in defence; peace can be promoted by limitation of arms and by the creation of instrumentalities for the peaceful settlement of controversy? I agree with that statement. Each new affirmation of the sanctity of peace and of the obligation of each of us to maintain it helps forward the discussion of disarmament, but having regard to the difficulties which we have already experienced, despite the desire for disarmament which is common' to us all, it would, I think, have been rash for anyone in a position as responsible as my own to pretend that a single act, however important, had brought us to the solution of all our troubles. I wish to emphasise and categorically deny that I ever made any statement to the Press here or to anyone else of the character which has apparently been attributed to me.” STATEMENT BY BORAH “CHAMBERLAIN ALWAYS AGAINST TREATY” i FRIENDS OF THE BIG ‘navies Australian Press Association, . (Rec. March 8, 7.20 p.m.) Washington, March 7. Senator Borah has issued an important statement on the alleged observations by Sir Austen Chamberlain on the Kellogg Pact before the confidential meeting of British journalists. The statement reads: “Sir Austen Chamberlain’s remarks cannot be said to be a surprise. It has been pretty well known that he has always been against the treaty. He came very near torpedoing it in his diplomatic communications, somewhat as he came near* torpedoing Locarno by his secret Anglo-French naval conference. Need Sir Austen be surprised that the United States should build cruisers when-met in authority like himself jeer at the peaceful methods of settling international controversies? The best friends of the big navies are the men who jeer at all the efforts to settle international controversies by any other means than that of the navy, but I venture the opinion that his views do not represent the views of the English people. I fio not think that his stab will prove fatal.” I