IMMENSE ADVANCE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17346, 29 September 1924, Page 1

IMMENSE ADVANCE.

PREPARATIONS TO COMBAT THREATS OF WAR IN FUTURE.

J3y Telegraph.—Press Association. —Copyright.—Reuter's Telegrams. (Received September 29, 9 a.m.) GENEVA, September 28. Dr Benes (Czecho-Slovakia) submitted the Third Committee’s report indicating the final shape of the Disarmament Protocol, which is described as an immense advance on anything hitherto done. Article 6 establishes an obligation not to resort to war, and completes Article 10 of the Covenant. Thus the Council is competent to deal with every threat of 'war.

Article 7 obliges signatories to abstain from action calculated to aggravate a dispute, and entails Sanctions. Thus the Council is invested with full powers of investigation .nto spirals against violation of tlie Protocol. It is also entrusted with duty of calling on the guilty State to remedy an offence and of deciding on measures to terminate a situation threatening world peace. The text does not define the nature of the preventive measure. Its elasticity permits the Council to take measures appropriate in each case. Any such decisions of the Council must be by a .two-thirds majority. It will be the Council’s duty to recommend to the several Governments concerned what effective military, naval and air forces, members of the League shall severally contribute towards the armed force to be made use of to protect the Covenant. Each State shall remain in possession of its forces, and itself, not the Council, shall direct them. I)r Benes explained that when the Council calls for signatories to enforce Sanctions, it will become a regulating rather than an advisory body, but not an executive body. The report concluded by submitting a resolution recommending members of the League to accept a Protocol requesting the Council to convene an international conference for the reduction of armaments at, Geneva, and inviting the Council immediately to appoint a committee to prepare the text of the Armaments Oonvenant mentioned in the Protocol. In the course of the discussion, Sir James Allen (New Zealand) said that he did not object to Sanctions being laid down, but asked for an explanation of the position of non-signatory States, and nlso that it should he made c lear which States would in advance furnish information concerning the forces available in the event of Sanctions. Were they States signing the Protocol or all members of the League? If these points were made clear, be thought the Protocol satisfactory so far as New Zealand was concerned. If New Zealand did not sign the Protocol it would leave her under the existing obligations onlv.

WORK NEARING COMPLETION. By Tel««raph—Pres# Association—Copyright Mftuur'i T®lae-r&.m*. (Received September 29, 11.45 a m.) GENEVA, September 28. ’lbe Geneva Council has agreed to the plan for the investigation of the armaments of vanquished States by the League. This is to replace the system of inter-AHied military controlThe Commission of Investigation will bo composed of representative members of the Council, and will include at least one neutral member and a- representative of a bordering State signatory to the peace treaties. Further, when examining any question relating t<* the investigations, the Permanent Advisory Commission shall invite assessors representing the hordering countries. The Third Committee completed its labour last night with the adoption of the report of Dr Benes and the resolution moved by M. Lange (Norway) regarding certain desiderata to be submitted to the Council, when preparing the general programme for the Conference on Disarmament. Several articles in Dr Bones’s report were modified, but not substantially. Thus that part of the Procotol dealing with security and disarmament is completed and there now remains only one section, dealing with arbitration, which it- hoped will he completed toMr Adntclii's amendment to Article 5 of the Arbitration Protocol was without prejudice to the Council's d.uty in endeavouring to conciliate the parties, so as to assure the maintenance of pence and good understanding between the nations. Mr Adatchi (Japan) said that it was in the Covenant an<l it was their duty to give effect to ’t. He hoped, therefore. that the committee would agree to his amendment, which was the result of long and careful reflection. Finally, Mr Adatchi withdrew his amendment under express reservations On the whole, the Protocol point lias not yet completely been cleared up, and Mr Adatchi lias not yet made up hi* mind, but probably finally will give

Dr Benes furnished his explanation and the committee adjourned.