THE FRENCH PROPOSAL

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 16628, 23 April 1928, Page 7

THE FRENCH PROPOSAL

RENUNCIATION OF WAR NO INITIATIVE ACTION PROVISION FOR DEFENCE. (Elcc. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (Australian Press Assn.—United Service.) PARIS, April 21. Following is the summarised text of the French plan for a multilateral pact to renounce war,: — Firstly, the signatories, without endangering their legitimate right of defence within . the limits of the existing treaties, condemn recourse to war, and renounce it as an, instrument of national policy or personal, spontaneous, or independent political action in which they take the initiative, but not of an action in which they find themselves involved by the application of any treaty, League covenant, or any other treaty registered with the League, and engage themselves under these conditions not to attack and not to invade one another. Secondly, all disputes and differences shall be settled entirely by peaceful means. Thirdly, any breach of the treaty releases the signatories from their obligations in regard to the guilty party. Fourthly, the present treaty nullifies the obligations consequent upon previous treaties.

Fifthly, the treaty will be proposed to all Powers, and only become binding after unanimous acceptance unless -an agreement to the contrary is reached.

■' NIGGLING''. DEPLORED OFFICIAL GERMAN VIEW (Australian and N.Z. Press Association.) BERLIN, April 21. The official spokesman of the Foreign Office said the French draft seemed an attempt to weave niggling reservations into the United States' proposals calculated' .to weaken the moral effect. Such finesse was an unsuitable i method . of realising a project whiqfr Germany welcomes. * . "