WAR PREVENTION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 17984, 9 January 1922, Page 5

WAR PREVENTION.

FIFE-POWER PLAN.

LEABUE TO EMCE PEACE

MORAL WEAPON ONLY.

ISOLATION AS PENALTY. FORECAST OF TREATY. By Telegraph—Prees Association—Copyright. (Received 4.30 p.m.) A. and N.Z. WASHINGTON, Jan. 6. The clause in tho Five-Power Naval Treaty dealing with tho possibilities of war with a non-signatory Power, as at present drafted, is one of the most important, and marks a iong step forward to Mr. Harding's Bcheme of an association of nations. It provides that in the event of finy of the five Powers being threatened with war, the other four shall confer to ®e what measures can be taken to avert hostilities. Thus, for example, suppose war were threatened between Italy and Greece, then the United States, France, Britain, and Japan would meet to consider the situation. Perhaps they would offer thoir good offices, or indicate their opinion t.-iat war would not bo justified. In the event of the threat becoming an actuality, the remaining Powers would retain neutrality, but would make their position known. Italy during pendency of war would be absolved from the limitations of the treaty, and would be entitled to increase her .naval power, afterwards reverting to ratio as fixed.

The importance of this provision is very great. While it does not constitute a fivoPower alliance, arid while there is no promise, direct or implied, to use force or bind any Power to go to the assistance of another, nevertheless it brings into being a moral league which should do much, it is believed, to avert the danger of a European war. It is not a League of Nations, but a league to maintain and enforce peace, inasmuch as a nation in the wrong threatening or declaring war would risk isolation by all the Powers, and would think twice before entering into war under such conditions, whether signatory or non-signatory to the Five-Power Treaty. It will be interesting to see the American reaction to -his provision. Many will detect s, covert Article 10, but really there is nothing in common between the two. The provision carries out Mr. Harding's long cherished hope of an association of nations, recognising not force but moral power in bringing nations together to achieve definite results and imposing no binding obligations. The United States delegates have given sanction to this articlo, and ute convinced that it will not be open to the same objections ab the League of Nations.