LEAGUE CRITICISED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22538, 1 October 1936, Page 11

LEAGUE CRITICISED

ME. JOEDAN AT GENEVA NEW ZEALAND'S ATTITUDE H SUPPORT FOR FIRM MEASURES By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright LONDON. Sept. 30 Speaking at the League Assembly to-day, Mr. W. J. Jordan, the New Zealand High Commissioner, created a stir by the boldness of his criticism. Although new to Geneva he has already demonstrated both to the Council and to the Assembly that he is a force to be reckoned with. The British delegates showed uneasiness as Mr. Jordan raised one issue after another which Britain would prefer to regard as closed, Unlike Canada and Australia, Mr. Jordan declined to accept the British viewpoint on regional pacts. He stated that New Zealand feared they were likely to develop the old system of alliances, but that his Government was prepared to collaborate in a collective system in which members agreed to the immediate application of full economic sanctions, while restricting engagements to the use of force to defined areas. Mr. Jordan joined issue with Mr. S. M. Bruce, who deprecated! automatic sanctions, Mr. Jordan insisting that sanctions would be as ineffective in the future as in the past unless they were both immediate and automatic. He added that unless collective security was made effective it was a waste of time coming to Geneva. The League had lapsed into futility, however, as the result of this vacillation of Governments and not ais the result of the indecision of peoples;. New Zealand was prepared to take her full share- in complete economic sanctions and to join with other members of the League in the collective application of force againfit a future aggressor. She would also agree to the establishment of an i.niernational force.

Mr. Jordan proceeded to condemn the League's action in the Abyssinian dispute, but. insisted that it was not the Covenant that was at fault.. New Zealand suggested that the Governments hold plebiscites to ascertain whether their peoples were willing to support the League.

New Zealand's experience in broadcasting Parliamentary debates indicated that the League might usefully broadcast its proceedings and thus become a living reality.

AGA KHAN'S DEFENCE MR. BRUCE ON TARIFFS British Wireless RUOBY, Sept. 30 Mr. S. M. Bruce (Australia) and His Highness the Aga Khan (India) were among the speakers who continued the | general debate in the League Assembly at Geneva. Mr. Bruce said that the Assembly should respond wholeheartedly to the lead given by Britain, the United States and France in their recent monetary agreement. Es;change controls, tariffs, quotas and other trade restrictions had led to much economic unrest, and an opportunity was now presented for solving theso problems. The Aga Khan said that to condemn the League after the 16 years of its short life, because they had learned that men and nations were imperfect, was as foolish as to condemn all philosophies and all religions because of the [ present state of tho world. PROPOSALS FOR REFORM AUSTRALIA'S SUGGESTIONS CANBERRA, Sept. 30 Australia's proposals for reform of the League of Nations Covenant were explained in the House of Representatives to-day by the Attorney-General, Mr. R. G. Menzies. The Commonwealth, suggests the automatic operation against an aggressor State of sanctions prohibiting export of arms, munitions and raw materials used for military purposes, or, alternatively, prohibiting all exports to the aggressor. Refusal oi: loans and credits, and the prohibitions of imports from the aggressor are also suggested. It was suggested that non-member States, particularly the United States, Germany and Japan, should be consulted before the League nmended the Covenant.

CANADA'S VIEWPOINT GENEVA, Sept. SO "Any decision to participate in war must be made in the Canadian Parliament," said the Prime Minister of Canada, Mr. W. L. Mackenzie King, in the Assembly to-day. Canada was not prepared to apply sanctions automatically in all disputes but favoured the detachment of the Covenant from the Treaty of Versailles.