FOR WORLD PEACE

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6886, 16 April 1929, Page 4

FOR WORLD PEACE

League of Nations ADDRESS BY SIR JAMES ALLEN AIMS AND ACHIEVEMENTS I . An interesting summary of the principles of the League of Nations was given recently in Invercargill by Sir Janies Allen, K.C.B'., at the instigation or the Lcaguo of Nations Union. ."The League of Nations Union, at the invitation of which I am speaking/’ said Sir James Allen, "exists to make known the principles of the League of Nations as widely as possible. These principles are well set out in the covenant of the League, which states that members accept the obligation not to resort to war in the settling of disputes between themselves; to maintain open relations between signatories of the League; and to accept international law in settling •disputes. The slogan adopted was ‘arbitration, security, disarmament.’ ” Sir James went on to congratulate the local branch of the union on the work achieved by it, particularly in the schools. International Law "In the Covenant of the League of Nations the high contracting parties agreed that cue of the conditions to secure lie object cf the League, namely. to promote international co-opera-tion and to ' achieve international peace and security, was the firm establishment of the understandings of international law as the actual rule of conduct among' governments," continued Sir James. "I think it is safe to say that in the year 1920, evhen the Assembly held its first meeting, it was practically impossible to define international law. Nor do I believe it possible at this time to say what international law was in 1920, and certainly it is all the more difficult to-day because of developments during the last nine years.

"The questions sent to .the Governments concerning ‘territorial waters’ are far reaching, covering as they do the breadth of territorial waters, the nature of the rights possessed by a state over its territorial waters, and the regulation of the passage and the anchoring in territorial waters of foreign warships. Some know that the generally accepted limit of territorial waters is three miles measured from terra firm. This limit is, however, not universal, and you will realise that the Byrd expedition could not (snow and ice-covered as the ( land is) say where the land ends. "The matter*is of interest to New Zealand because under our administration of the whaling industry in the Eoss Sea, we issue licenses for the taking of whales. In order to Emit the killing and thus prevent total destruction, licenses have been limited in number. Some who applied and were refused licenses have nevertheless proceeded to tho Ross Sea, having made provision to procure and store the oil at sea. We believe that they have no rights to enter the territorial limits in the Eoss Sea, but we cannot define those limits, and it would be very dif-

ficult to succeed in any case brought before the law courts. There can be no question that the settlement of theso problems—-"the ‘territorial limits and the control of the whale industry—if the whale is to be preserved, must be determined by international action. ... Economic Questions "Only brief reference can be made to tho financial work of the League. Most important was the financial reconstruction of Austria, Hungary and Bulgaria. It is gratifying to note that this has been successfully. accomplished and the League’s control was brought to an end on June 30, 19-o. Equally important from the humanitarian point of view has been the financial assistance the League was able to arrange for refugees and others in distress. The burning of Smyrna m Asia Minor ,and the devastation created by tho Turks, left refugees numbering not less than 1,000,000. Within 24 hours of the receipt by the League of a telegram asking for help, measures for relief, were sanctioned. It was arranged to float a loan for £G,000,000; and I was pleased to inform the Assembly that New Zealand would contribute £IOOO. Assistance has also been given to Nansen in his repatriation of prisoners of war, and in dealing with Russian and Armenian refugees. Nansen, at thei third meeting of the Assembly, announced that in the early, stages of the prisoners of war from Russia 1200 a month were dying from want and disease, and that over 40,000 men had been restored to their homes. Two New Zealanders have been associated with this refugee work —Colonel Corfe and Lieutenant Sams. The League still continues financially, and by the work of its financial committee to pave the way for goodwill and better ■ understanding amongst the nations. "Even before tho meeting of the first Assembly the League summoned a conference at Brussels to inquire into the economic and financial difficulties prevalent at the time. Thirtynine countries sent 86 representatives, New Zealand being represented by the then Secretary of the Treasury, G. F. C. Campbell, and myself. The conference laid down certain principles and mado recommendations which have been a guide to the nations in relation to public finance, currency and international trade and international credit. Surely the League of Nations has done good work in dealing with, the economic difficulties which present themselves to-day, and which may become positive sources of .friction between nations. Tho work will bo continued in the hope that examination of tho facts in a spirit of goodwill may lead to conclusions which will avbid conflict in the future."

Continuing, Sir James spoke on the conflict to-day between the sentiments of security and disarmament. One of the difficulties of tho Geneva Protocol had been that it compelled signatories to blockade a country violating the covenant. If Britain had signed that agreement, she might quite possibly have had to blockade Italy after the shelling of Corfu, and then what would America have said about the break in her trade? That was an example of the difficulties encountered by tho League. Bolivia and Paraguay What was more important, however, ho continued, was its successes. The Bishop of London had said that the Leaguo had stopped five wars. Whether that was so or not he did not know ,but a recent success had been achieved in the Bolivia-Paraguay dispute. "Tho newspapers have informed us of a dispute between Bolivia and Paraguay, both members of the League of Nations, which has led to a rupture and fighting, ’’ said Sir James. ‘,Both these nations in signing the Covenant pledged themselves before resorting to war to submit their cause to arbitration, or to the Council. My mind went back to tho year 1923, when Italy—another member of the League —in violation of the Covenant, bombarded the Greek possession of Corfu, and I remember how tense the feeling was at the Fourth Assembly which met in 1923, and how one wondered what action the Leaguo would take to uphold the Covenant. As a matter of fact, the matter was settled by the Council of Ambassadors, and no by the League. “When it became evident that Bolivia and Paraguay had broken the Covenant, I wondered what action the Council of the Leaguo would take, aiid it was a relief to learn from a publication of the League that the Council, though neither Bolivia nor Paraguay had stated their case to the Council as provided by the Covenant, decided to send an appeal to both countries to stop their fighting and submit their troubles for arbitration. Paraguay on receipt of the Council’s telegram, replied stating that she asked for the summoning of the Commission provided for in a treaty between South American statfes dated May 3, 1923, the purpose of which was to avoid conflict between American states. Several telegrams passed before Bolivia could be persuaded to adopt a similar course. Finally she consented. In a letter sent to mo from Genova, tho writer says: The feeling is, as you will see, that the League’s intervention contributed largely and peyhaps principally to averting further hostilities and that, considering how little wo have a right to expect the League’s influence to be strong in America, the whole affair was a hopeful demonstration of tho toughness of the Covenant.” (Applause.) America, the League and the Pact "The peaco treaty with Germany signed on June 2S, 1919, by Woodrow Wilson, representing the 'United States of America ,was not ratified by America. How far the non-ratification was political it is not easy to judge, but one can note a growing feeling in favour of joining tho League. Though it might be unjust to suggest that tho United States of America has sought to satisfy its conscience by placing before the nations of the world the Kellogg Peace Pact, I do not think it unfair to say that the ground had been prepared by the education the world (including the United States of America) has received from the association

of representatives of between 50 and 60 nations ait Genova. It is true that the Pact differs from the Covenant of tho League, but the objective of each is the same. "The Pact consists of three articles; the first condemns recourse to war for the solution of international controversies and renounces war as an instrument of national policy. The Covenant of the League contains similar provisions. Article 2 of the Pact provides for the solution of all disputes or conflicts by pacific means, and so does the Covenant of the League, though it does recognise, in Article 15, the possibility of a dispute which may not be settled even on reference to the Council. Tho pact has not been agreed to without interpretative declarations —Kellogg himself has said: "There is nothing in the American draft . • • which restricts or impairs in any way the right of self-defence ..." Si r Austen Chamberlain referred to cef* tain regions of the world, tho welfare and integrity of which constitute . a special and vital interest for British peace and safety, and claimed that their protection against attack was to the British Empire a measure of selfdefence. All the European Powers made an interpretative declaration relating to the Covenant and the Locarno treaties, protecting themselves in case any one of them had to resort to war to uphold the covenant or tho treaties. "Tho difference between the Covenant and the Kellogg Pact consists in tho fact that the latter deals with questions of principle, but makes no attempt to define any method or provide machinery for dealing with those nations who are not loyal to the principle. Tho Covenant does make provision for arbitration, judicial settlement, decision by the Council, and for dealing with a member who ignores its articles, imperfect though the suggested action be. Another great difference between the Covenant and the Pact is that the Pact is a gesture, an expression of a noblo ideal, but it contains no machinery to induce those who sign it to live up to the ideal, except moral obligation; nor has it the means to educate the world up to its standard other than Conscience. The Covenant goes further, as its articles do make an attempt to bring pressure to bear, even to the extent of using force, though it is doubtful if these could be made use of in the event of a rupture taking place. But to me the main difference is that the Leaguo consists of

1 members who support by their contri- . butions an extensive machinery which ! is constantly at work, providing means l for the settlement of disputes, carrying out humanitarian ideals, and edu- ; eating the world by propaganda of • many kinds to better living. The Covenant aims at the ideal, but takes the ■ world as it is with its many impcrfecs tions. The Pact conceives a perfect ■ world in which war would be impos- ; sible; but the nation which puts it for- - ward cannot and does not ignore the l present condition, and consequently , has not ceasftd to lay down warships , and make other provision not quite r consistent with its noble ideal. To me, s the main point in connection with the 1 Covenant and the Pact is the saisfacs tion to be derived from the knowledge > that by these means the moral con- . science of the world is being aroused r to the iniquity of war and to the jus- • tice of goodwill and peace. If this edu- - cation could be carried far enough, > war would be unthinkable; internai tional police unnecessary, and even in l ordinary living the civil police might ; be dispensed with.” > In conclusion, Sir James Allen said ■ that the League was trying to make a i better world, but before that end was ■ reached they would have to make bet- ■ ter citizens. It was hardly necessary > to appeal to thinking men and women ; to assist a cause which was out to > banish the murderer of millions—War.