DIVERGENT VIEWS

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 121, 18 November 1929, Page 11

DIVERGENT VIEWS

INTER-EMPIRE DISPUTES

BRITAIN'S RESERVATIONS

(From'"The Post's" Representative.) LONDON, 20th September. According to information from an unimpeachable source (writes the special correspondent of the "Daily Mail") the serious divergencies between Empire representatives at Geneva regarding the relationship t of certain Dominions and the Mother Country have been considerably aggravated by an incident arising out of the signature of the Optional Clause by Mr. Arthur Henderson, the Foreign Secretary. This clause provides for compulsory jurisdiction by The Hague International Lourt m legal disputes between nations. On tha.t occasion Mr. Henderson read a formula containing Britain's reservations to the clause which had previously been agreed to by tho Dominions delegates. This was followed by a supplementary declaration clearly defining the principle that the jurisdiction of The Hague Court shall not apply in any dispute, between members of the British Commonwealth and the British Government.

One of tho Dominions delegates subsequently declared that this was a most improper declaration, inasmuch as on several points, especially that of the right of the Dominions, as independent units, to submit inter-Empire disputes to Tho Hague Court, it was an absolute contradiction' to the attitude expressed by certain Dominions throughout the. secret discussions preceding the signature of the clause.

While favouring tho settlement of any such disputes by direct negotiation, at least three of the Dominions maintain that as independent members of tho League they'arc entitled to appeal to The Hague Courts on the same basis as any other'sovereign State. Keen disappointment-is expressed at the signature of the Optipnal Clause in the face of the latent opposition of members of the Empire, Tho independent signature of the clause by Ireland, the reluctance ' of Canada and the qualifying statement made by Mr. Louw (South Africa) thai a special Court for inter-Imperial matters would be preferable, after Mr. Henderson's ivnexpectcd declaration, are clear indications of the seriousness of the differences which the Optional Clauso has raised between the Dominions and the United Kingdom.