LOCARNO TREATY

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 43, 21 February 1928, Page 10

LOCARNO TREATY

A MODEL FOR OTHERS

BEST WAY TO SECURITY

BRITAIN AT GENEVA

(A.P.A. and "Sun.") (Keceivcd 21st February, 2 p.m.) GENEVA, 20th February. Twenty-two States attended the opening of the conference of the Committee on Arbitration and' Security. The Soviet was represented by an observer. Dr. Benes (Czccho-Slovakia) presiding, declared that it was abundantly apparent that security was not realisable by any single uniform project, but rather by a series of political aud juridical measures meeting divergent situations in various countries. Lord Cushcndun emphasised that Britain's view was that the League Covenant had given a measure of security, and tho Committee should stress this fundamental principle. Britain favoured the Finnish proposal to assist the victims of aggression. He recalled that Britain had a century's experience with arbitration, notably Anglo-American. Britain would freely support treaties of arbitration and conciliation, for which Locarno was the best model, although a, modification might be necessary, iii special cases. The Committee should realise that unless the session achieved a practical measure, giving the nations a greater sense of security, there was little hope of doing anything useful. Unless the League Covenant afforded such security against a recurrence of war the failure must be admitted. He was not prepared to make such an admission. The Soviet submitted to the League a draft convention for general disarmament based on the proposals of M. Litvinoffi submitted on 30th November. The draft will be considered at coming meetings of the Disarmament Preparatory Commission.