WORLD PEACE

Greymouth Evening Star, 15 September 1924, Page 5

WORLD PEACE

BRITISH FLEET’S STATUS

(Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.'

GENEVA, September 11.

The Third Committee has commenced consideration of the constitution of the legal aspect of the Articles of the Covenant relating to international disputes and the Court of Arbitration.

Mr. Cecil Hurst, outlining the British difficulties, wanted a more precise definition. In the/ event of the League calling up the forces of all the Powers enforcing arbitration, it would necessitate the British Fleet patrolling the seas, protecting neutrals, extending the League’s force to ocean highways, and preventing trade with the enemy. The fleet would almost certainly thereby come into conflict with other nations. Britain wanted the Covenant defined clearly to provide that if having accepted the compulsory arbitration clause her fleet at the League’s command, undertook certain a'ction, it would not later be called to account because such action had violated some Power’s rights. The Clause must be defined to prevent Britain, while protecting an attacked country, from becoming herself an aggressor. M. Loucheur said that he hoped for fewer neutrals and fewer wars. Though Britain once was regarded as the tyrant of the seas, the war years had shown what" a good tyrant her fleet was.

The Anglo-Dominion delegates conferred and agreed with the general trend of Mr. Hurst’s speech.

NEW ZEALANDER’S SCHEME

LONDON, September 14

While disclaiming responsibility, Sir James Allen introduced the draft Treaty for the reduction of armaments prepared by Mr. S. E. Hyde, of New Zealand. It is one providing for the League calling a world conference to decide how much munitions each country can make, or buy, and for the establishment of a General Staff of leading admirals, generals and scientists, with a permanent seat at Geneva, which would have full control over the commanders of different countries, in the event of the League summoning the help of forces from members of the League. The scheme provides that the world be divided into areas. The League would decide what nations should partake in any conflict, and to what extent, in the event of war the nations in all the areas would be considered at war against the aggressor. The League would be divided into three groups, the full members accepting military and economic responsibilities and the conditional 'members not accepting sanctions or economic responsibilities, but helping the League in all other ways.

In the discussion as to disarmament, the concensus of opinion, favours the settlement of disputes by arbitration, supported by sanction on the basis of the provisions of the League Covenant.