The Aggressor and His Crime

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 133, 29 February 1936, Page 17

The Aggressor and His Crime

League of Nations does nut content itself witli determining | the aggressor,” said the lion. Oliver Stanley, Minister of Edtica--0 tion. in a striking address on the League at a University gatherA iug. '‘lt goes- on, with the enthusiastic support, I believe, of the great majority of people in this country, to try to restrain the aggresso,, to defend the injured party against the aggressor, to ensure, in terms ue use to-day, 'that aggression does not pay. Well, since you have a League of Nations whose objects are these you have got to be prepared to face the final consequences of any action taken. z “The danger of war does not arise because of the particular machinery of the League; it docs not arise because of this sanction or that sanction, because of economic sanctions or military sanctions, or a blockade. “It arises because of your exhibition of your purpose to stand between the aggressor and his crime. YOII are like a man who stands between a wild beast and his prey; you have got-to be prepared to face the possible consequences of the action you are prepared to take, and when you get conditions ' of this kind you are dealing with reality, stark, staring reality. “A man who Houts the public opinion of over fifty countries shows that he does not care. “Only one thing will stop him, and that is -the size of his chances of

success. He is going to count the forces against him, the forces he has, and liis chances of succes.

“He is not going to ask: ‘There are fifty nations against, me; what chance have I got?’ It is a good deal more realistic than that. lie is going to wipe 45 nations off the map at once, because they are nations that either will not or cannot join. “He is going to weigh not the number of countries against him but the determination and ability of those countries to meet any force he may bring against them with a force even greater than that he may bring to bear. And just as much as he may count his chances of success decreasing so is the danger of war going to diminish.

“The man to-day who advocates support of the Ixrngue, who presses for action, and still more vigorous action by the League, and at the same time is neither prepared himself if (he worst should happen, nor is prepared to allow the Government of the country to fit this country to play its part, has no right to press upon a country the policy which he is not prepared to follow out. to its full conclusion.

“The League of Nations is us in this room, and the millions of us’s all-over the world. If we and the we’s everywhere are only prepared to make incantations and bow down and pray, and are not ready to take our share, then the League is an idol about as much yse as the idols of old were to the defence of their worshippers.”