LEAGUE COVENANT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20707, 3 May 1929, Page 9

LEAGUE COVENANT

SETTLEMENT OF DISPUTES. DEBATE IN HOUSE OF LORDS. (United Press Association.) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) LONDON, May 2. (Received May 2, at 10 p.m.) In the House of Lords, Viscount Cecil moved —“That in the opinion of the House ofLords the time has arrived when the Government should sign the optional clause of the League Covenant providing for a judicial settlement of international disputes.” The Lord Chancellor said that the Government could not accept the motion. It was not a question of the desirability of arbitration or acceptance of the international court at The Hague; it was a question whether it was expedient in the interests of Britain and the Empire to sign the clause now. He pointed out that in the event of a dispute between Britain and a dominion or, the dominions it would be most undesirable to go to the court, ■ The feeling of the Imperial Conference of 1926 was opposed to this course, and it was decided not to take any action without further discussion. The dominions at present were considering a new arbitration treaty with the United States. Both the. dominions and ■ Britain thought that the American treaty ought to be concluded before they , signed the clause. Britain had more often resorted to The Hague arbitration than any other country. International law was being amplified and codified in the hope that the time, would arrive when the Empire would be'able to accept the court’s compulsory jurisdiction with or without reservations. Lord Reading said that the fact that 60 nations agreed to the Kellogg Pact was the strongest argument in favour of the motion. Lord Salisbury said the Government had repeatedly affirmed the principle of arbitration as an alternative to war, hut it should not be too precipitate. Lord Cecil insisted on a division, the motion being negatived by 26 to 19. Australian Press Association—United Service.