MANCHURIAN DISPUTE

Southland Times, Issue 21577, 15 December 1931, Page 7

MANCHURIAN DISPUTE

LEAGUE AVOIDS EXTENSION

COMMISSION’S OPPORTUNITY.

(British Official Wireless). Rugby, December 12.

Lord Grey and Lord Cecil, who returned yesterday from Paris at the conclusion of the League Council meeting, spoke at a demonstration in London last night on the Manchurian tituation.

Lord Grey said he thought those who took an extreme view, saying the Manchurian dispute had shown the futility of the League, were very mistaken. Looking back to before the war he thought of the complications to which such a dispute would give rise, and as a result he said: “Thank Heaven there has been a League of Nations.” The League had prevented the present dispute from spreading, while it had enabled the Powers to work together to promote peace instead of each playing their own hand. It had changed the pre war assumption that third-party intervention was an unfriendly act; now on the contrary it was an infringement of the honour of a Power if it did not accept mediation. Both Japan and China had admitted the right of the Council to investigate; moreover, it had been made clear that the Paris Pact and the League Covenant were in line. The United States had also taken an active and beneficial hand. Japan had a strong case in Manchuria, and he regretted she had not submitted it to the League before taking military action, which seemed to him as not in accordance with the Covenant or the pact.

Lord Cecil, referring to the League Commission which the Council had deciled to send to Manchuria, said he believed it was a tremendous opportunity, and if they were fortunate they might- succeetl in removing once and for all the war cloud in the Far East.