COLLECTIVE SECURITY

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19023, 25 May 1936, Page 13

COLLECTIVE SECURITY

ONLY BARRIER TO WAR HOPE OF THE FUTURE MAINTAINING STATUS QUO A deelaraiti'on that collective security. fully supported by those who have an interest m the maintenance oE the status qud in international affairs, offers tin only alternative to » general breakdown of peace work, and possibly a war »« which a largo proportion of the present veneration would he wiped out, was guide bv Mr. Duncan Hall, oi the league of Nations secretariat, in an ndflress to Gisborne Rotanans to-diiy, Alt'. Hall, who is a member of the inioriuation section of the League of Nations. further stated that collective security is inherently allied to individual defence, and that once it. was firmly established many of the present ailments and grievances in. international affairs would disappear automatically. Indicating that lie was. on an. official mission, but that nevertheless the opinions; he expressed were entirely bis own and should not be regarded as representing the policy of the League, Mr. Hall observed that the world was facing a serious situation, in which the position of the League was of the utmost importance. The League of Nations had set out to enforce, for the first time in history, the full covenant of the subscribing nations against an aggressor nation which had attempted—and in a large measure succeeded—in destroying the independence of another member nation. The attempt was directed towards proving that aggression could not be successful, and though remarkable unanimity had been shown by (he 53 nations of the League, including the seven comprising the British Commonwealth of Nations, it would seem that, judging from immediate results, that effort had failed. EFFECT OF SANCTIONS No one could say .what the ultimate effects of sanctions would be. Mr. Hall stated. Though they had been limited iii application, sanctions had proved most effective from the dale the League of Nations had ratified them. ; Three types of sanctions were in effect against the aggressor nation; the first cutting off from it any financial or economic assistance from any League country, the second preventing the export to the aggressor nation of certain metals and other commodities useful in the conduct of war, and the third barring (he "importation of goods from the aggressor countries in League nations. These respective types of sanctions were still in force, and the causes of their establishment against the aggressor country were unchanged. Therefore the full effect of their application was yet to be seen. PARTIALLY EFFECTIVE ■ The cutting off of the aggressor from financial and economic assistance, sain "Mv, Hall, was perhaps not important, to, prior to the outbreaic of war, the nuerna. condition of that country hail not been such as 10 offer much inducement to in vtstois from other countiie-s. lln application of the sanction relating to export* to tne aggressor country has been only partially effective, because n was impossible 10 secure recognition iron, ail the nations concerned, as to the restriction of on shipments to the aggressor;

However, it was fair to say that tilt charge that. there was a smear of oil politics over the League discussions on this phase of sanctions was not, justified. The etlectiveness of the third type must rank highly in any assessment ol Leagtu policy., for practically all the 53 countries contributing to the Covenant oi the. League were continuing their iefusals of importations from the aggressor. This meant that 70 per cent of the exports previously sent abi'oad by the aggressor were involved, and while the effect might be -slow to reveal its full force, it was. not difficult to realise that it must be substantial. HAMPERING THE AGGRESSOR

'the general effects of sanctions measures had proved rather slower than was expected iu making themselves felt, continued the speaker, more especially in contrast to the swift success of ruthless methods of war adopted by the aggressor. In this case war was more rapid, ruthless and effective than could have been anticipated, and the aggressor country had in fact just "scraped home" before the oncoming of the rainy season in the defending country. He could not predict what action the League countries would take in regard to the existing sanctions, but he pointed out that all the causes which brought about the application of sanctions were still in existence.

League countries had taken action to hamper the aggressor, -Mr. Hall pointed out further, under very considerable pressure. That pressure had been intensified by the inadequacy of the action taken, and by the switt success of the nation against which sanctions wert directed. There was an immense danger, fully recognised by the League couri. tries, that failure to effectively counter aggression in this case might lead to an opening of the flood-gates of violence elsewhere, and bring about another world war.

"It is not my place to prophesy, but it i seems that iu such circumstances, all must make up their minds as to what attitude they should adopt iu support pf the, League," added the speaker. ■*■! vyant, you to realise that from the point, of; view of this country, for iniitance, the League's action might, still Jiave a considerable value in time ol war. ■ .',

"Consider the possible aggressors ftgainst Now Zealand, and what if, might mean to this country to have it-, defensive effort backed up by the collective action of other countries, bailing financial or economic assistance to the aggressor, the export of commodities to tlio. aggressor, and the purchase of commodities from the aggressor. This support, to a country fighting for its life and using all its resources, might have an infinite value from a moral point of view, and probably also in the political field, as well as in the military and strategical conduct of the struggle. ' /covenant or tup: leagoe He could not assure his audience too definitely that the covenant of the League of'Nations required no elimination of individual countries' defence forces. The covenant was a realistic document, and it recognised that each nation must have its own system ot defence! pf territorial, possessions, as well as being in a position to contribute to the enforcement of collective security Individual and collective, defence, now regarded as separate issues, must even tnally be recognised, however, as part and parcel of the one system for the maintenance of peace in the world. The .present system of government was bused on the desire of individuals for the collective enforcement of law and order, and in time the application of similar principles to maintenance of world peace would be inevitable.

Behind the moral cohesion represented •hy the signatures borne by the covenant must *be the -determination to uphold the law hv every means at the disposal of the nations.