Evening Post. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 8, 1935 THE LEAGUE JUDGMENT

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 86, 8 October 1935, Page 8

Evening Post. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 8, 1935 THE LEAGUE JUDGMENT

| tinder pressure from My. Anthony | Eden the League of Nations may yet redeem the fault of dilatoriness. Mr. Eden was disappointed that . the Council on Saturday did not make real progress. There was reason for this disappointment. To adapt a classical, statement: "The Council adjourned its debate while Rome'was thundering at the gates of Adowa." ] The classical indictment of the Senate was that it continued to' debate when aqtion was needed. In this instance the Council delayed the debate which was the essential pre- ; paration for action. But, Mr. Eden wasted ho time in upbraiding. He urged the Committee of Six to complete that part of the task which had been allotted,to'it and this the Committee achieved. The Committee ' found that the Italian Government had resorted to war in disregard of its solemn commitments under Article 12 of tho Covenant. Article 12 binds members of the League to accept arbitration in disputes and not to resort to war until1 a lapse of three months after the award by the arbitrators or a judicial decision or a report by the Council. The completeness of the case against Italy for a breach of .this Article could only be mitigated if it were held that the Abyssinian mobilisation constituted a prior act of war. But this excuse was dismissed by the Committee of Six with the express declaration: "Measures of security taken by a State within its own territory and not transgressing its international obligations cannot be invoked by another State as a motive for violation of the Covenant." .

The Committee of Six, being satisfied that there had been a breach of Article 12, did not deem it necessary to go further and inquire if there had been violation also- of Articles 13 and 15. It presented to the Comraitteej of Thirteen and subsequently to'the Council of the League a proven case; and invited no argument on the flagrancy of the breach by citing other apparent violaI tions. Without considering whether "'tis not so deep as a well, nor so wide as a church-door," the Committee concluded "but 'tis enough.*" The Committee of Thirteen and the Council adopted the report, Italy alone dissenting, and,..as the votes of parties to a dispute are not counted, the judgment and the recommendation that hostilities should cease were unanimous. As interpreted by die President of the Council, "the public opinion of the world now expects the two parties to accept the appeal of the Council to cease, hostilities."

It is assumed (states .an Official Wireless message) that the next development will come with the meeting of the on Wednesday. Article-16 actually provides for the automatic application of certain sanctions (or penalties) where there is a breach of the Covenant.

Should any Member or the League resort to war in disregard of its covenants under Articles 12, 13, or 15 (the Article states) it shall ipso facto be deemed to have committed an act of war against air other Members of the League, which hereby undertake immediately to subject it to the severance of all trade: or financial relations, the prohibition of all intercourse between their nationals and the nationals of the Covenant-breaking State, and the prevention of all financial, commercial, or personal intercourse between the nationals of the .Covenant-breaking State ana the nationals of any other State, whether a Member of the League or not.

These are the economic sanctions. Only with respect to the military measures "to protect the covenants of the League" is the Council called upon to recommend the steps to be taken. But the scope of the sanctions provision is so wide that in practice even a League embracing the whole world and assured of complete, unqualified acceptance of its decisions could not rest upon automatic application. Great Britain, a firm and frank supporter of the collective principle, has yet found-it necessary to declare that the risks to be taken for peace must be taken by all—in a word that she will not proceed to the application of economic and financial penalties until other nations declare their willingness to do the same. :

This, then, is the task which will await the Assembly. The League, through the Council, has given judgment and the Assembly must consider whether it will apply the penalty, and if so, in what form. Complete severance of all. relationships, a blockade of trade and the closing- of the Suez Canal are not likely to be attempted. There are several practical reasons against such drastic measures: they would not secure the co-operation of nonmembers of the League and if enforcement were . attempted might embroil the League with Germany, America, and Japan; they would put an excessive strain upon the loyalty to League principles of wavering members; and they; would submit the non-combatant population of all nations (as well as the warring nations) to severe privation. The League has not itself decided in advance how far it may go with limited sanctions but a Committee appointed by the 87th Council furnished a report which gives valuable guidance. The gist of this Committee's report was as follows: (a) That the withholding of arms (on a list which might be extended to include special machine tolls) would have a close and direct relation to a breach of the

peace; (b) that a complete stop to importation of key products for the !manufacture of arms would mean t serious interference with the manufacture .of armaments without serious dislocation of economic life as a whole; (c) that products which apart from military uses are widely employed in industry or agriculture could not be withheld without serious disturbance.both to the importing and producing countries, and therefore action should .be taken with caution. Restriction of supplies which are 'not essentials would cause disturbance without being effective, and the interruption of the export trade of a Covenantbreaking State might do great damage to imposing .countries. It might have to be applied without discrimination between civil and military populations. Financial , pressure could be applied where a State was receiving financial aid either directly from another v State or . indirectly through agents,'. The full recommendations, and reasons of the Committee cannot be quoted, but from what has been given it can be seen that the Assembly will need sound judgment.as well as courage if it is to devise measures which will be practically applicable. The "Daily Herald"^ays:— ;,! ■

M. .Laval undoubtedly will• employ every pretext to ensure any action being innocuous 'to Italy. This is sabotaging the League. Unless the League acts swiftly and effectively it is useless for safeguarding European peace. v President Roosevelt's proclamation 'finely contrasts with Geneva's hesitations, War can speedily be stopped if the Council displays courage and decision.

But the League must also consider well before threatening more than it can perform. "The Times" urges that every step must be considered hi order to avoid making worse a bad position. The position would be definitely worse if the League, by too drastic action, broke its own ranks and consolidated the support which Italy may receive from nonmembers. ■•..■■■