TO END WAR

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 29 September 1924, Page 5

TO END WAR

MACDONALD AND RUSSIA

a* cable press association- copyrigh'i

LONDON, Sept. 27. As the Premier (Mr Ramsav MacDonald) was departing from St. Paneras station to deliver at Derby his first political speech since the recess a group of working men shouted: “Stick to the Russian treaty, Ramsav, even if you fall.”

Addressing a packed audience at Derby, Mr MacDonald said, his opponents were now beginning to he afraid because the Labour Government had not ruined the country, but had proved its fitness to govern better than they. Referring to the convocation of Parliament on Tuesday, the Prime Minister appealed to all parties to come together and secure the fulfilment of a solemn bargain with South Ireland. Replying to an' interruption, he said Ulster must lie fairly dealt with equally with the South.

Referring to the difficulties of the League of Nations, Mr MacDonald said war must he outlawed. The Labour Government would yet establish conditions under which men would not fear war.

Regarding the Russian Treaty, the Premier declared that he knew there were difficulties in connection with it, and explanations would he given. “We are not giving a loan to Russia,” he said. “We are only guaranteeing a loan, the purposes of which are clearly defined.” He ridiculed the suggestion that the loan would he for £100,000,000. That was the amount Mr Lloyd George had got on his conscience. Not one-third of that sum was ever mentioned. The loan would be spent largely in the purchase of goods and materials in Britain.

It would he impossible to bring peace to Europe if Russia was left out. That was the biggest reason for the treaty. “We will not ask the House of Commons for a blank cheque,” he added. “If the House of Commons will not permit us to make the treaty it had better censure us. J. do not think the country wants a break, hut if forced to go we shall go to the public platform.” Lord ’Birkenhead, speaking at Netherbv, near Carlisle, said that, had saner counsels prevailed, the Labourites would never have been allowed to take office, and for 10 to 15 years at least Labourites would never have had the chance of attempting to carry out crazy doctrines.

The Unionists knew where they stood regarding the Russian Treaty, and no legitimate parliamentary weaoon would be left unused which ' woufd enable them to destroy such scandalous and wicked proposals. There must he unity if the nation is to he saved. He could hardly name a real question of public importance upon which honest Liberals and Conservatives were divided. “Has not the moment come.” he asked, “for sanity. Let ns, for our part, make it easy and honourable for Liberals to associate with us.”

NATIONS’ OBLIGATIONS

‘‘ an IMMENSE ADVANCE. ’ ’

Received Sept. 29, 10.50 a.m (Reuter.)

GENEVA, Sept. 28. ; Dr Benes submitted the third committee’s report indicating the final shape of the disarmament measures under the protocol, which is described as an immense advance on anything hitherto done. Article six establishes ail obligation not to resort to war. Thus the Council of the League is competent to deal with every threat of war. Article seven obliges the signatories to abstain. from any action calculated to aggravate a dispute, and entails sanctions. Thus the Council is invested with full powers of investigation into appeals against alleged violations of the protocol, and is also entrusted with the. duty of calling on a guilty State to remedy an offence, and of deciding measures to terminate a situation threatening world - peace. The text does not define the nature of any preventive measures. Its elasticity permits the Council to take measures appropriate in each ease, any such decisions of the Council to be by a two-thirds’ majority. It will be the Council’s duty to recommend to the several Governments concerned what effective military, naval and air forces members of the League shall severally contribute towards the armed force usable to protect the Covenant. Each State shall remain in possession of its forces, and itself, and not the Council,shall direct them. Dr Benes explained that when the Council calls for signatories to enforce the sanctions, it will become a regulating, rather than an advisory, body, but not an executive body.

The report concluded by submitting a resolution recommending the members of the League to accept the protocol and requesting the Council to convene an International Conference for the reduction of armaments at Geneva, and inviting the Council to immediately appoint a committee to prepare the text of the armaments’ covenant, mentioned in the protocol. In the course of the discussion, Sir Jas. Allen (New Zealand) said, he did not object to the sanctions laid down, but he asked for an explanation of the position of the non-signatory States; also that it should be made clear which States would, in advance, furnish information concerning the forces available in the event of the imposition of sanctions. Were they States signing the. protocol or all members of the League? If these points were made clear lie thought the protocol was satisfactory so far as New Zealand was concerned. If New Zealand did not sign the protocol it would leave her under her existing obligations only. Dr Benes furnished an explanation, and the committee adjourned.