“SIX EQUAL NATIONS”

New Zealand Times, Volume LII, Issue 12248, 21 September 1925, Page 7

“SIX EQUAL NATIONS”

BRITISH EMPIRE’S POSITION SOLIDARITY ESSENTIAL. Reuter's Telegram. (Received September 20, 5.5 p.m.) GENEVA, September 18. Speaking at it meeting of the committee considering the question of the obligatory jurisdiction of the Permanent International Court of Justice. Sir Cecil Hurst explained that Britain was unable to subscribe to the Protocol, providing for obligatory jurisdiction, on account of the peculiar political construction of the Empire, which was a partnership of six equal nations, amongst whom there must be solidarity on matters of vital importance. Ho did not wish to give the impression that the British habit was merely to make difficulties. Dr. Nansen’s scheme for establishing a home for Armenians was referred to a sub-committee. migraWcontrol LEAGUE HAS ENOUGH TO DO NOW. (Reoeived September 12, 11.5 p.m.) GENEVA, September 19. Another echo of international migration control arose during the Fifth Commission’s discussion on Russian refugees. The Austrian delegate asked: Should not the International Labour Office deal with all the nations’ unemployeds ? The Italian delegates were very anxious that the question should be remitted to the existing sub-committee engaged in the technical aspects of the auestion, but Mr Justice Riddell (Canada) commented that the British community of nations’ best efforts relating to unemployment and migration had poorly progressed. It would tremendously increase the difficulty of the refugee task if the unemployeds were linked to it. The Duchess of Atholl (Britain) warned the League that if assistance were extended beyond refugees the Labour Office would become an international emigration bureau. Even now, migration was one of the Empire’s greatest difficulties. Eventually the thin edge of the migration wedge was frustrated by appointing a sub-committee to draft proposals dealing only with refugees. The Australians thereby were much relieved.