LEAGUE REFORM

Southland Times, Issue 22731, 6 November 1935, Page 7

LEAGUE REFORM

NO PLAN DISCUSSED STORY DENIED BY SIR SAMUEL HOARE ELECTION CANARDS (British Official Wireless.) Rugby, November 4.

In a speech Sir Samuel Hoare referred to false statements in circulation regarding the foreign policy of the Government, which he attributed to electioneering tactics. He had, he said, already exposed three baseless stories, namely, the story that the British Government had left the Italians in doubt as to its attitude, the story that he and Mr Eden were not at one in their attitude to the League, and the story that there was a sinister motive behind his visit to Geneva.

Now there was a fourth story with which he must deal, to the effect that Cabinet was plotting to destroy the League as soon as the election was over, and to go back to alliances, and that it favoured a reformed League which would not be an instrument for preventing or ending war by collective action against an aggressor. “I say with great deliberation,” he remarked that there is not a word of truth in these charges. The Cabinet has considered no plan of League reform. It is not sounding foreign nations on the subject. As to the fantastic suggestion that we are determined to deprive the League of its coercive power, what better answer could there be than that Mr Eden and I have been doing our utmost to strengthen the hands of the League and make its collective action really successful?” MODIFIED STRUCTURE SOME DISCUSSION REPORTED. (United Press Assn—Telegraph Copyright.) London, November 4. Reports from London of tentative British plans to reform z the League, transferring the more important functions to a smaller and more elastic body composed of the great Powers, are discounted in Geneva. There has been, however, some discussion regarding modifying the structure of the League with the object of bringing Germany back and of establishing a new security system based on French, German and British co-operation. Supporters of this system, including Dr Schacht, emphasize that it is essential that France should not ratify any agreement with the Soviet as the system envisages the ultimate recognition of Germany’s rights to expand eastward.