IN FINAL SHAPE

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 78, 29 September 1924, Page 7

IN FINAL SHAPE

THE LEAGUE'S PROTOCOL EXTENSION OF COUNCIL'S POWERS ELASTIC PROVISION FOB EMERGENCIES.. : (BBDtEB'S TBUQRAM.) (Received 29th September, 9 a.m.) GENEVA, 28th September. •' Dr. Benes submitted the Third Committee's report indicating the final shape of the disarmament protocol, which he described as an immense advance on anything hitherto dona. Article 6 establishes the ■ obligation not to resort to war, and completes Article 10 of the Covenant.' Thus the Council is competent to/deal with every threat of. war. " Article 7 obliges the signatories to abstain from action calculated to aggravate Si dispute, and entails sanctions (penalties). Thus the Council is invested with full powers of investigation into appeals against violations of the protocol, and is also entrusted with the duty :of calling on the guilty State to remedy its offence, and si deciding on measures to terminate a situation which threatens the peace of the world. The text does not define the nature of preventive measures, and its elasticity permits the Council to take such measures as are appropriate to each case. Any such decisions of the Council will be by two-thirds majority. It will be the Council's duty to recommend to the several Governments concerned what effective military, naval, and air forces the members of the League shall severally contribute to the armed force which may be used to protect the Covenant. Each State will remain in possession of its forces, and itself, not the Council, will direct them.

Dr. Beries explained that when the Council calls on the signatories to - enforce sanctions, it will become a regulating rather than an advisory body. ■ The report concluded- by submitting a resolution recommending the members of the' League to accept, the protocol, requesting the Council to convene an International Conference on the reduction of armaments at Geneva, and inviting the Council immediately to appoint a Committee to prepare the text of the armaments Covenant mentioned in the protocol. NEW ZEALAND INQUIRIES In the courße of the discussion, Sir James Allen said that New Zealand did not object' to the sanctions laid down, but asked for an explanation of the position of non-signatory States, and also that it should be made clear which States' would in advance furnish information as to the forces available in the event of sanctions, were they to be the States signing the protocol, or all the members of the League? If these points were made clear, he thought the protocol would be satisfactory as far aa New Zealand was concerned. If New Zealand did not sign the protocol, it would leave her under the existing obligations only. Dr. Benea furnished explanations, and the Committee adjourned.