A.—sB.

Its proceedings and essential matters related thereto are adequately covered by the report and eight annexes, which were agreed to by the Conference at its concluding meeting on 24th November, I say its " concluding meeting " in keeping with what seem to be present realities, although technically the Conference has resolved only " temporarily to suspend its sittings." At any rate, the first phase of the Conference has ended —it has ended in failure to achieve anything. The essential fact as shown by the report is that the Conference confined itself to the endeavour to secure the collaboration of the Imperial Japanese Government for the purpose of arriving at a peaceful settlement of the dispute. This collaboration being refused and again refused, as shown in documents I, 11, and IV, the Conference, as such, did no more, No doubt the consultations between representatives of Governments may have been useful up to a point; and the Conference has at least borne witness to the fact that the people of the world and their Governments are not indifferent to the tragic events in the Far East nor wholly unaware of their common interests in peace and in the honouring of treaty obligations. But on the whole the negative results of the Conference demonstrate that, on the present interpretation of their people's views, many Governments which are very sincerely devoted to the ideals of peace and the sanctity of treaties are not prepared effectively to co-operate in defence of those ideals. The violation of treaties, the reign of lawlessness and violence, extends unchecked. It is left to the immediate victims of armed aggression to withstand its violence as best they can. The position is certainly a gravely disquieting one. In truth, an effective system of collective security is shown at the moment to be non-existent. Equally clear is the truth that in the Covenant of the League faithfully applied, we have the possibility of collective security. The failure of the Conference at Brussels and the adjournment of the League of Nations without agreeing on effective common action are a tragic disservice to the cause of peace. Yet, however deep our disappointment may be to-day, Ido not believe it is a failure that can last. A wiser policy must yet prevail. The need for an effective system of collective security is so imperative, and the perils of any other policy are so manifest, that we may well be confident that the nations of the world will yet see to it that their Governments will both enter into and abide by collective plans for maintaining peace. It remains for me to mention with appreciation that at the League of Nations and the Advisory Committee I had the services of Mr. R. M. Campbell, Mr. C. A. Knowles, C.8.E., Miss J. R. McKenzie, and Miss E. Hannam of my staff, and that at the Brussels Conference I was fortunate also in having the assistance of Mr. G. W. Clinkard, the New Zealand Government's Trade and Tourist Commissioner for Europe, whose headquarters are in that city. I have the honour to be, Sir, Your obedient servant, W. J. Jokdan, High Commissioner. The Right Honourable the Prime Minister, Wellington, New Zealand. [For a full report of the proceedings see " Brussels Conference . . . Acts of the Conference, 3rd November to 24th November, 1937," in the General Assembly Library.]

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