ANTI-WAR PACT.

Grey River Argus, 28 August 1928, Page 5

ANTI-WAR PACT.

SIGNING AT PARIS. The Arrangements. |Au«. Sc N.Z. Cable Assn & Sun Cable PARIS, August 26. Every Paet delegate has arrived. Th e day Was largely occupied by receptions on arrival, calling and returning call;:. Mr Kellogg had a lengthy conversation with Al. Poincare. There were 58 guests at Mr Kellogg’s banquet at ihe United States Embassy. These, included the signatories’ wives. The only absentee was D r Stresemann, who is acting on doctor’s orders. The Pact, which is in French and English, will be photographed, and is expected to remain at Quar <l’Orsay, until signed by all those invited to do so. It will th'en go to America. RUGBY August 26. The ceremony of signing the multilateral treaty for renunciation of wains an instrument of national policy will b e broadcasted by wireless from the British' -Broadcasting Corporation stations, and it is anticipated that listeners in distant parts of th? world will hear the speeches as they are delivered to-morrow afternoon. Signals will be carried to London on ordinary telephon e lines from Paris, where the ceremony will take place, and al{though the officials hope these will be quote, arrangements are made for * t k-Jng up Paris stations’ transmission in the event or failure, and re transmission broadcasting to the Dominions will be undertaken from the short wave expertmei r station at Chelmsford. The station is used daily for work in transmissions of varied programmes on a wave length of 24 metres.

German Foreign Minister. AN IMPORTANT COMMENT. PARIS, August 26. Dr Stresemann. the first German For eign Minister officially to visit Paris B?nce the Franco-Prussian War. was excellently received by hundreds of Frenchmen, who made no demonstration, though when the car drove off to the German Embassy there were hearty cheers and a few disapproving whistles. His meeting with the French officials was most cordial, and he willingly posed for photographers. Y Dr Stresemann is accompanied by a rsonal physician and two secretaries. ’ ’ Jgs and banners are everywhere. In me interests of his health, he has decided not to receive the press, though soon after his arrival a written statement appeared in the French press, in which he sincerely regretted the drastic orders of his doctor forbidding per eonal interviews. He proceeds: “It is enough to enunciate the elementary principles of the treaty in order to understand the extraordinary scope of the imminent international act. I am convinced we possess in the Pact a new basis which with the goodwill of nations will enable us to arrive at the creation of a world in which war, one of the most terrible scourges of humanity, will ex /’ t no more. The Germans are firmly ✓ x solved to co-operate energetically in ftk the realisation of this ideal. It’is an important fact that it should be the conclusion of such a pact that brings the German Foreign Minister to Paris for the first time for many years. I have often repeated, that in a certain seus e the key to the problem of European peace lies in the relations of our two countries. Wo know that even after Locarno certain difficulties were still in the way of extension of these relations but we were also aware thht they were not such as would necessarily check the policy of responsible statesmen. They can be removed, and consequently ought to be removed. 1 should be glad if the signatories to thp Peace Paet in Paris wore to favour the realisation of fresh progress in this direction. ” CHURCHES’ GOOD WISHES. LONDON, August 26. Preachers in the churches of all denominations throughout Britain expressed hopes for the successful outcome of the Kellogg Pact. The Archbishop of Canterbury and the Free Church Council led the move # ment, which included several distinguished American clerics-at present in England.

NEW ZEALAND MESSAGE. WELLINGTON, August 27. The Prime Minister (Mr Coates) has issued the following message to th© people of New Zealand, in connection with the signing of the Peace Pact in Paris to-day:— “ To-day will be signed at Paris the treaty proposed by the Government of the United States for the renunciation of war, by which signatories solemnly condemn recourse to war for solution of international controversies. They renounce war as an instrument of national policy in their relations with one another, and agree that the soln* tion of any dispute or conflict between them will never be sought except by pacific means. 1 ‘No pdoplc of the world have striven more conscientiously for peace than the British. and the invitation to sign this treaty, as original parties, which was extended to Britain and the Do* minions, was accepted with enthusiasm by each and all of them. The treaty b to be open for signature by all Powers of the world, and I feel confident every New Zealander will wholeheartedly endorse Mr Kellogg’s hope that the simple procedure proposed by the treaty will bring mankind’s age-long aspirations for universal peace nearer to practical fulfilment than ever before in the history of the world.” IiABOUR PAPER’S CRITICISM. LONDON, A .gust 27. Th<4 daily Herald alonrj of the Newspapers is most sceptical as to the Kellogg Pact and describes it as “a peace pact by war mongers/' aud as being full of serious loopholes.

“Times” on the Pact. “A SOMEWHAT SCEPTICAL COMM IT MEN'?. LONDON, August. 27 Most of the newspapers devote their first editorials to the Peace Pact: Tlie editorial of “Tie Times” has obviously been carefully and deliberately phraaed for American consoai-

ption It says: “The terms of the Pact ar e vague and übulous- Mt i: the price of signing appears tw> br a somewhat sceptic .al commitment to a nebulous ideal, this may most hopefully undertaken if it means that the great, wealthy, and rapidly-risir g American power, lying between u straining Europ 5 and an East in turmoil, will really lend a hand to render war more difficult. America has rejected the League of Nation. A second failure on the United States part could wit], oificalty be borne. This is happily not anticipated. The new treaty will moan much or liteffi to the extent that it has, or has no’, the support of its American autaors. THE RESERVATIONS. LONDON, August 57 Th e '-Daily Telegraph” sajs: “ToeNotes which some Powers, inc-inding Britain, addel to the text do no,l detract from new international “Credo” It expresses, ar.d will bear 11./5 relation thereto, as a judge's obiter dicta to his binding judgments.

“A Gentleman’s Agreement” PRIME MINISTER’S COMMENT. WELLINGTON, August 27. At the peace pact ceremony to-dtiy, the Hon. J. G. Coates (Prime Minister), said the treaty wa<s not one following Upon victory and vanquished. The first suggestion camp from the Briand of France, who wrote to tin United States and asked that Bilateral Treaty would be entered into- by France aud United States. After some delay, whac is known as Kellogg’s note was issued, which suggested a multilateral treaty. “Tne importance- of the Treaty has been emphasised by many” said Mr Coates “and it has been signed on behalf of tlui nations named. The Treaty provides- that after the signing to-day it will be open for other nations to come in if they so desire. The Treaty is a simple declaration by all the signatories that they will use every peaceable means of arranging any differences 'between them.” There was, he said, on e great thing in connection with the Treaty which all must recognise, and-that was power of public opinion aud" the wide desire) that in future there should be no more wars. The declaration in the Treaty would be recognised by all the nations as a sacred trust in the Interests of -civilNation Great Britain’s policy, said the Prime Minister, had always been founded on the desire for peace. There was no other nation which had signed so many arbitration treaties as Britain and she had always subscribed to an orderly peaceable method for the settlement of international difficulties. A debt o£ gratitude was due g Mr Kellogg and the United States Go vernment in connection with the signing of the Treaty. Tue Treaty had been referred ,to as a “gentleman’s agreement. ” what more powerful instrument could there; be than a gentleman’s agreement? It was for public opinion to see that everything possible was done to maintain that agreement. It Wais' unnecessary for him to refer to the tragedy of some yeir«rs ago He hoped that wo would always be found subscribing to treaties which would make for peace, no A only in the Pacific, but throughout thief world. (Applguse).