THE CAUSE OF PEACE.

Taranaki Daily News, 26 November 1925, Page 9

THE CAUSE OF PEACE.

LOCARNO PACT DEBATED. ATTITUDE OF DOMINIONS MAKING WAR IMPOSSIBLE. “THE HIGHER MORALITY.” By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright. Received Nov. 25, 8.10 p.m. London, Nov. 24. Lord Balfour, speaking in the House ot Lords on the Locarno Treaty, said lie was sure the Dominions would realise that it was a great effort on the part of the Home country to secure peace. The Dominions would see that if ever war were forced on Britain through the treaty, the moral forces of the world would be behind her in a war obviously defensive and intended to check brutal and unnecessary aggression, and not merely feelings of patriotism and common would move the Dominions to sympathise with the Mother Country, but all the elements of higher morality to w’hich the Dominions were singularly alive. Ixird Balfour declared that war in Western Europe under the treaty would be both unjust and menacing to the heart of the Empire. He was sure the Empire would then be united and would work for a single purpose—the cause ot peace and public and international morality. Lord Haldane expressed the opinion that it would be best to inform the Dominions of the negotiations as soon a possible, and leave them to judge. Lord Grey said that at least one uncomfortable speech regarding the Locarno treaties had been made in the Dominions, namely, the speech of General Smuts, ex’-Premier of South Africa, lx?rd Grey considered that the debates must have done a great deal to explain the treaties towards the Dominions, who must not regard the treaties as if they were not obligations upon Europe whatever. He pointed out the obligations under the League of Nations covenant, and considered they might be explained to the Dominions. Britain welcomed the Locarno pact because by bringing Germany into the League of Nations, and by bringing Germany and France into political relations, the possibility of disagreeable consequences arising from the obligations under the covenant had much diminished, and the Locarno treaties would diminish the risk the Dominions already ran of having to take serious action under the covenant.