LEAGUE OF NATIONS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 14837, 14 February 1919, Page 5

LEAGUE OF NATIONS.

THE ARBITRATION ARTICLES

(United Service.)

PARIS, Feb. 11. Fuller details of the arbitration articles of the League of Nations are now available, but it is not certain whether the final draft will absolutely pledge all members of the League to go to war against a nation refusing to accept the arbitration system. The articles state that the parties agree, when disputes cannot be adjusted by ordinary diplo|macy,j they must in no case resort to armed force without previously submitting the questions and matters involved either, to arbitration or to inquiry by the executive council, and until three months after the arbitrators' awards or the council's recommendations have been promulgated. They further agree they will not even then resort to armed force as against a member of the League which complies with the award or recommendation. They can enter into war only when an outside State or a member of the League refuses to comply with the award. The ( parties further agree that when a dispute or difficulty arises between them which, they recognise' as suitable for arbitration and cannot be satisfactorily settled by diplomacy, they shall" submit the whole subject to arbitration, pledged to t carry out in full good faith any award' or decision. For this purpose ] the Court shall be such, a court as agreed upon by the parties or stipulated in any convention existing between them. The executive will when directed formulate plans for establishing a permanent court of international justice which shall be regarded as competent to hear and determine . matters which the - parties con--sider i suitable. •

The articles in all number about twenty. The questions of the abrogation of existing treaties and the registration of treaties, and open diplomacy are clearly defined. When the text is issued it will be seen that some of the most ambitious aspcts of the Wilsonian, philosophy hn^ been abandoned. For instance, no vast international police force . is proposed, but qn the two .main points of establishing a. great. working international organisatiqn r and compulsory reference of disputes to arbitration with the,, time limit frhe scheme is firm, and substantial.