MINORITY ISSUE

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIV, Issue 234, 15 September 1934, Page 5

MINORITY ISSUE

POLAND AND THE LEAGUE Will Collaborate No Longer SENSATION IN ASSEMBLY (British Official Wireless.) (Received 15, 12.30 p.m.) RUGBY, Sept. 14. At the League of Nations Assembly meeting the announcement macle by Colonel Beck, the Polish Foreign Minister, that Poland refuses any longer to co-operate with international organisations, which arc taken to include organs of the League of Nations, in the matter of the protection of minorities in Poland, was discussed. The declaration created a profound sensation in the Assembly, where the general impression was that denunciation of the Treaty was taking place. An curly speaker at to-duy’s meeting was Sir John Simon. He said it was clear that it should not bo possible for any State by unilateral action to relieve herself of her obligations, and ho wanted to put that on record as tho view of the British Government.

Poland’s action has provoked some comments in the newspapers. The “Daily Herald,” while agreeing that it was hard to justify the system of supervision in respect of only a small group of States, characterises tho action as reprehensible, insofar as it strikes a blow at tho sanctity of treaties and the authority of the League. It urges that a serious attempt to make tho protection of minorities universal might well be uudertaken.

Tho “Morning Post” says: “The arguments advanced by Poland to justify release from the treaty are not without some weight, but ui ilateral repudiation of a solemn covenant cannot but arouse some misgiving.” The “Daily Telegraph” regards Poland’s action as only too typical of the impatient spirit of tho times, ana believes that a world, convention as suggested would almost certainly disagree from the start, or if it agreed on a uniform basis that basis would be more honoured in the breach than in the observance. POLAND STANDS FAST Attitude Maintained (Received 15, 12.50 p.m.) GENEVA, Sept. 14. Colonel Beck stated that Poland maintained bet attitude regarding minorities and did not consider the situation chang' d by to-day's debate. Tho announcement that Poland refuses any longer to collaborate with the League’s international organs for the protection of minorities in Poland was made by Colonel Beck in tho League of Nations Assembly on Thursday. Colonel Beck protested against the inadequacy of the present system and urged that the League should include in the agenda for tho next Assembly a comprehensive reconstruction of the existing regime on a moro durable and better defined basis. Meanwhile, ho added, Poland would continue to protect her own minorities. The independence of Poland was proclaimed on November 9, 1918, and was recognised' in the following year by the Treaty of Versailles, which also made provision for embodying in n further Treaty provisions deemed necessary to protect the interests of inhabitants who differed from the majority of 'the population in langungo or religion. In accordance with this Minorities Treaty, which was signed later, Poland’s minority population camo under the protection of the League. VIRTUALLY DEAD Eastern Locarno Pact LONDON, Sept. 13. The “Daily Telegraph” says: The Eastern Locarno Pact is virtually dead. Poland has definitely decided that she cannot participate, and Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania have entered into a military alliance, so it is unlikely that they will participate. Poland believes that no war need bo feared in Eastern Europe for at least a decade. As Poland has settled her differences with Russia and Germany she has nothing to fear.