SECURING WORLD PEACE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18813, 13 September 1924, Page 11

SECURING WORLD PEACE.

BRITISH NAVY'S PART. POLICING OF THE SEAS. DIFFICULTIES OF TASK. DANGER OF EMBROILMENT. SAFEGUARDS ADVOCATED. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received 9.43 p.m.) A. and N.Z.—Sun. GENEVA. Sept. 11. A committee of tho League of Nations has commenced consideration of the constitutional aud legal aspect of the articles nf the Covenant relating to international disputes, and tho Court of Arbitration. .Sir Cecil Hurst, legal adviser to the British Foreign Office, outlining the British difficulties, wanted a more precise definition. In the event of the league railing up the forces of all. the Powers for enforcing arbitration, this would necessitate the British fleet patrolling tho seas and protecting neutrals, extending the league's force to. the ocean highways and preventing trade •with the enemy. Tho fleet -would almost certainly thereby come into conflict with other nations. Britain wnnted tho Covenant defined clearly to provide that,' if, after her acceptance of the compulsory arbitration clause, her fleet at the league's command, undertook certain action, she would not later be called before the Court, because its action had violated the rights of som3 Power s. The clause must bo defined to prevent Britain, while protecting an attacked country, becoming herself tho aggressor. Another delegate said it was hoped that with fewer neutrals there would bo fewer wars. Though Britain was once regarded as the tyrant of the seas, the war years had shown what a good tyrant tho fleet was.

The British and Dominion delegates conferred and agreed on tho general trend of Sir Cecil Hurst's speech. , .