POLICY DEFINED

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 58, 6 September 1934, Page 20

POLICY DEFINED

LEAGUE OF NATIONS UNION

COLLECTIVE SECURITY

With only two dissentients the following resolution defining the attitude of the" New Zealand "League of Nations Union on; two main policy matters was carried yesterday afternoon .at the annual-conference of the union:— ."That this conference is in thorough agreement" withi the text of the following resolutions carried at the conference in London, on April 13:— ; To"'preserve peace and security members of the League of Nations . must be? ready to co-operate in the defence of a membcriWho has wrongfully been attacked. Peace in. Europe and in I the world . .can; be preserved only ( by; collective .: action through the League of Nations .. , or the Pact of Paris, and a; policy of '.British isolation is impossible and undesirable." , ■■-'- ••'■■ Mr. ,W. Ro'wiitrce said that action did- not necessarily mean military action, bgt.it was.,not clear from the resolution that wh^t was meant was • the economic sanction as the first step in bringing an aggressor to book. ' The chairman (the Rev. F. H. Wilkinson) said he thought there was no doubt the.resolution meant in the final analysis' that if any nation proved an outlaw it would be called to book by the joint action of the constituent members- of the.'League of Nations. While no one in the; union wished to see such a-course of .action taken, the main concern must be the maintenance of: international justice, and there ■■ might; be. occasions-;.calling for interna'tioijal police action,, ■_J,.\, ECONOMIC BOYCOTTS. ::'ilr. 'C E. Archibald expressed, the opinion that more good would be done by! supporting the 'contention that economic- boycotts should be put into iofce", instead of; recourse to arms. He suggested that the real, obstacle in the way "of-fulfilment of the' League's ideals jvijs /the existence of powerful financial influences1' behind the various Governments, r The conference should be careful to avoid giving countenance to any suggestion' that it favoured resorting to war. .'>.-:' : .-;Mr. G.Morice- said he. took it that recourse to-force 'would be absolutely the-last step, <He,,pould. hardly conceive it possible that'it. would be neces-sary-under:, any",, circumstances for liatiohsto' iise force againsfari aggressor nation if they knew.that all the other members of the: League of, Nations wpuld-see that justice was done. But oven- if it came'to force less damage would -.be 'done with the members _ of tlie ' League' of 'Nations co-operating against an aggressor. • Mr. Morice rriairita.in'ed that the" League had been mad? something of a laughing-stock for the whole, world in connection with ;the Manchurian ■ trouble. ; POWERFUL INFLUENCES? -Mr. E. .Salt said that there was evidently some- powerful influence at work trying ; to create antagonism towards^ Japan, 'because that' country financed, its. own. undertakings. Not enough attention "was directed to the causes of.wa,r;:the effects would take care of themselves. ■ Mr. Douglass said there was, a great I international .conscience -growing up. With all its disabilities the Leaguehad proved of great help .in regard to Manchuria. "We must not be accused of being unpatriotic," he" added. "J("'We- can-be loyal to our own .Country, but. we can have ,a. higher loyalty to njankind. That should be our ideal. Lfeel that this international conscience has", to grow," and it; can only- 'grow through! th.c League1' of Nations.'' ■ ... : Mr. 'T. Todd said that: the resolution v affirmed-.the .union's belief in.' the t: original sanctions of the Covenant, the a boycott "and then the blockade, with c force:as ; the final.measure. it