PACT FOR PEACE

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 23 May 1928, Page 7

PACT FOR PEACE

SATISFACTION IN AMERICA.

TONE OF BRITISH NOTE.

A HOPEFUL OUTLOOK,

(UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION—BY ELECT UK TELEGRAPH—COPYRIGHT.) (AUSTRALIAN PRESS ASSOCIATION.) ' WASHINGTON, May 21.

“Jn Hie British .Note, Sir Austen Chamberlain informs this Government that His Majesty’s Government has been in communication with, the Dominions and: India and has, ascertained that they are all-in cordial agreement on the funeral principle of a multilateral treaty for the renunciation of yvar,” announces, the State Department. “Sir Austen- added' that he felt- confident the Dominions and: the- Government of India were prepared to accept the invitation to participate in the- conclusion .of such a treaty. The United States received this information with tbsi keenest satisfaction. -Telegraphic instruction was to-day sent to tne American Ministers at lOttaua- and l Dublin and the American Ambassador no London to deliver to-morrow Notes inviting the Dominion Governments and the Government of India •to become original parties to a multi-lateral tueaty for® the renunciation of war. The United States Government has proposed the .simultaneous publication of the text of the invitations next Friday morning.” . . , , , All the invitations, it is understood, will be identical, and will contain statements of wha.t has occurred in accordance with Sir Austen Chamberlain ’gi recommendations. A forecast indicates that the- State Department’s next -step may- consist mere'y of rcsubmittnl of the original treaty. The hope .is that ail that will be necessary can be iset forth in an additional article, or perhaps in the pre, amble, confirming the under,standing! and' interpretations reached- through the diplomatic exchanges which have occurred

It is unknown - whether a n invitation to other nations to adhere- may be sent before any treaty is signed. Mr Kellogg, however, has made it clear that nil Governments would be encouraged to adhere to the pact. Further study of the British Note today bv the State- Department confirmed the first impressions and -led to optimism that was increased: by Baris Press report* that the French Government wit' be substantially, if nob completely, in accord with Sir Austen Chamberlain’s views.

There is howevier, no- diminution in American opposition to the fourth a-r----tcle of the French draft- treaty, specifying that the contemplated convention shall not abridge the sittructure- of all existing treaties. The hope hene- is that the British Ncite will .stand eventually as an unqualified acceptance of Mr Kellogg’s draft. Article- 10 of Sir Austen Chamberlain’s Note, it is now felt, may be found to b? only -a specific declaration of Britain’s intention to defend all its lines of communication, .in which ease it would amount merely to a definition of self-defence rather than to a reservation. It is pointed out that Mr Kellogg has already declared that the right -of self-defence was inherent ,vn any treaty. Officials to-day oppose the suggestion that an international 1 ., conference might be the best mean*- of adjusting all the. differences. They felt that- an exchange of diplomatic communications constituted in themselves complete deft nitons of the understanding upon which the Powers are acting. It was admitted, however, that if these same understandings were contained briefly and comprehensively, possibly in the preamble of the treaty, they would, through Senate and Parliamentary ratification, take on a force not contained in their present form.

MOltE PKP.S9 COMMENT

LONDON, May 21

The diplomatic correspondent of the “Daily Telegraph” <i egrets that Britain did net send Washington a brief Note whole-heartedly accepting Mr Kellogg’s proposal without reservations, adding a memorandum to which British legal experts would have placed their reading of the American draft, and thus have avoided the chilliness of legal, arguments tending to obscure the cordiai ity with which the British Government welcomes Washington’s initiative and promises to snpport it to the utmost of its power. The correspondent asks: “What is Sir Austen Chamberlain’s definition of Britain’s Monroe doqtrine eonceirning Egypt?” n 'The “Daily Herald” describes the reply as a deeply disturbing document, inasmuch as Sir Austen Chamberlain lays down a drastic series of limitations and reservations following the lead set bv Paris. The Note is not likely to satisfy America, or the growing opinion in Britain, which, demands more than lip service- to vague ideals of peace and disarmament. “The Times” says the British reply to the American proposals is at once cardial and .reflective. The aim of the British Note is clearly -to- advance th-e movement. Its serious and reflective character greatly add? to the force of the declaration of cordial acceptance. The importance of the occasion iei enhanced by the fact that the whole Brutish Empire speaks with one voice. This is a new international enterprise. CANADA INVITED TO PARTICIPATE. Received 9.50 a.m. to-day. OTTAWA, May 22. Canada, has been officially invited to take part, in the Kellogg Treaty discus*•>ions.