AGAINST WAR

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 122, 25 May 1928, Page 4

AGAINST WAR

SECURITY OF NATIONS THE FINNISH PROPOSAL (From "The Post's" Representative.) LONDON, 18th March. "What is known, as the Finnish Security Proposal is. a suggestion that when the Council ■of the League has unanimously decided that a nation is* guilty of warlike aggression, tho victiim State should bo entitled to apply to tho TiCague for financial assistance. Tho total figure contemplated would not exceed £50,000,000, of >hich. Great Britain, would beliatloto --contribute., about four, %,,ftt t]ie,'.moSt;/fivG/millions.-. 'ItivouM take t!i(> foi-hi of an'iriternational loan which Mould lie at, once available for the State that was attacked. Lord Cushondun, the .British representative on the Security, and Arbitration Committee, oxplained the scope of thi. proposal to a newspaper correspondent at Geneva. He stated that the working-out of the 'scheme—of which Sir, :AusJ?}i ..C^amVeriain; has., already, JDm ntoi;e.?.thiijari.6»e:occasionj' expressed apjfi'oval-^is still-!-iri its initial stages.; . " The. plan ianno't,\of course,.be fiii-' ally adopted,'' his Lordship said, ''unless a considerable- number of States,, including Great Powers, agrees to it. Before such aid could bo given to any country the Council of the League ■must unanimously decide whielt nation is-, the-aggressor, .; ' ■' '' . -<(There might: be -instances," said Lord Cushcndunj''-"iH.; which it would hot bo very 'effective;;; but, still, I belioye such aid would. —in. certain circumstances which one' can imagine—be of very real value....- ■ : „ ••Countries would know that if they were guilty of aggression the other side would have this assistance; and I think that that would be a strong inducement to them to keop the.peace." Should the Finnish scheme materialise it'will;' ,b'f '..course," be ..close.ly allied to Article-16 .ot ■the League -O.ovcnant. 'Un-. der tliat "Article.signatory nations- (and,; prmcipa;lly,:'.the Great .^Powers): assume very considerable, if not-precisely defined, obligations in tho event of war in wnieh States which are members of the League may be involved. But the financial assistance plan, Lord Cushpndun insisted, would -.not supplant or modify that important, Ar T tide. Eather, it is ■ complementary and in a way introductory, and it might possibly decrease commitments under, that Article by rejfering them in certain cases unnecessary.', .'