LEAGUE OF NATIONS

Evening Star, Issue 20421, 28 February 1930, Page 8

LEAGUE OF NATIONS

AMENDING THE COVENANT RENUNCIATION OF WAR (British Official Wirelea.) Pros# Animation—By Telegraph—Copyright, RUGBY, February 26. The League of Nations Committee yesterday began consideration of the question of amending the League Covenant to bring it into harmony with Hie Pact of Pans for the renunciation, of war. Considerable difference of opinion was expressed whether the committee should concern itself with the necessity for revision of the covenant; The British delegate (Lord Cecil) contended that a distinction should b« drawn between the desirability and the possibility of revision and that the committee’s sole concern was the possibility. The greater part of the session was devoted to a discussion of this question, and, towards the close, tion of amendments to the Covenant were begun. Briefly stated, the British Government’s _ proposed amendments favour alteration in Article XH., by which the signatories pledge themselves not to resort to war until three months after an arbitrator’s award or a League Council report on the dispute is submitted, in such a way that the article shall pledge the signatories “ in no case to resort to war.” The proposed British amendment to Artcle XV., which in certain circumstances permits the disputants to “take such action as they consider necessary for the 'maintenance of right and justice,” is that the action contemplated by this article should be qualified by the words “other than resort to war.” By this means, it is suggested, the gap between the Covenant, which, in certain circumstances, contemplates war, and the pact, which renounces war, should be closed. ' ' -