Poland’s Action in Regard To Minorities Treaty

Horowhenua Chronicle, 17 September 1934, Page 7

Poland’s Action in Regard To Minorities Treaty

CO-OPERATING NO LONGER

SENSATION IN ASSEMBLY

(By Telegraph-Press Assn.— Copyright) (British Official Wireless.) - EUGBY, Sept. 14.

At the League of Nations Assembly, when it met this morning, a discussion opened on the announcement made by the Polish Foreign Secretary, Dr, Beck, that Poland refuses any longer to cooperate with international organisations, which are taken to include the organs of the League of Nations, in the matter of supervision over the application by Poland of a system of minority projection. The declaration created a profound sensation in the Assembly yesterday, where the general impression was that a denunciation of a Treaty was taking place.

An early speaker at to-day’s meeting was the British Foreign Secretary, Sir John Simon, who recalled that Poland had signed the Minorities Treaty and agreed to article 93 of the Treaty of Versailles. Poland had accepted a certain procedure regarding minorities. It was clear that it should mot he possible for any State by unilateral action to relieve herself of her obligations, and he wanted to put that on record as the view of the British, Government. Unilateral Action. ' Sir John said that the country he represented, together with some other parties, was a signatory to the Polish Minority Treaty in which Poland accepted the guarantee of the League for the protection of national minorities. The terms of Article 93 of the Versailles Treaty could not be overlooked. Poland had further accepted a procedure as’to the manner »in which the guarantee was to be exercised. Those resolutions became binding on Poland by reason of her acceptance. No country could possibly release herself from obligations by unilateral action. Sir John, after remarking that the effect of Dr, Beck’s statement might have been misunderstood, examined his speech in more detail. Eeferring to the proposal for a universalisation of the international protection of minorities and the particular position of certain States bound by minority treaties, he pointed out that these two matters .were entirely distinct. ; Eegarding the former, a Polish draft resolution on the subject was already before the Assembly’s political commission. M. Barthou, Fz’ench Foreign Minister, in supporting Sir John Simon, said that he spoke as the representative of France, friend and ally of Poland, and could not believe that Dr. Beck’s speech was intended as a threat or an attempt to'impose a fait accompli on the League. Baron Aloisi (Italy) also supported the censure and, like M. Barthou, admitted the possibility of treaty revision, but the adaptation must be effected legally and existing engagements respected, until replaced by new provisions. Comment of the Press. , Poland’s system has provoked some comments in the newspapers. The Daily Herald, while agreeing that it is hard to justify the system of supervision in respect of only a small group of States, characterises the action as reprehensible in so far as it strikes a blow at the sanctity of treaties and the authority of the League. It urges that a Serious attempt to make the protection of minorities universal, however, might well be undertaken. The Morning Post says that the arguments advanced by Poland to justify release from the treaty are not without some weight, but unilateral repudiation of a solemn covenant cannot but arouse some misgiving. The Daily Telegraph says that the demand that the minorities question should be dealt with on a uniform basis for; all. alike has \ very reasonable goiind, but the fact is that when : the Allied Powers in set about creating the New Poland there was no way of doing so without including large numbers of Russians, Ukrainians, Germans, and millions of Jews. The Poles themselves had for generations suffered sp.. severely that thp Allied Powers felt constrained to make certain stipulations. These were that the New Poland should' -not prosecute a policy of assimilation by means of political persecution, and should allow minorities freedom of conscience, language,, and faith. Poland and the Succession States, which have received territories containing large minorities, agreed rq their being placed under the guarantee of the League. The Telegraph regards Poland’s ac- : tipn yesterday as only too typical of the impatient spirit of the times and believes that the World Convention sug-

gested would almost certainly disagree 'Lfrom the start or, if it agreed on' a uniform basis for the Succession States, tint basis would be more honoured in ; -jthe breach than in the observance.

‘' Permanent Seat for Soviet

SEVERAL ABSTENTIONS FROM , > VOTING . ■ ‘ Received Sunday, 7 p.m. ; . . ' GENEVA, Sept. 15- ’ HI , Russia accepted ah invitation, sig£; V# V 30 members, to join the League, J utter which the Council formally voted in favour of giving. Soviet a permanent seat. Panama, Portugal and Argentina did not vote. All British Dominions, except the Free State, signed the invx-

tation to Russa. Other European non,signatories were Belgium, Poland, Portugal, Luxembourg, and Switzerland. The proceedings securing Russia’s election will be completed on September 18