ARBITRATION AND SECURITY

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 127, 27 February 1928, Page 3

ARBITRATION AND SECURITY

« 1 BRITAIN AGAINST GENERAL TREATY ? RESERVATIONS ESSENTIAL By Telegraph.—press association, Copyright. . I Rugby, February 21. i Tlie merits of bilateral or regional ! treaties as distinct from a general i security pact were discussed by the ■ Committee on Arbitration and Security j at Geneva yesterday. ; In order to concentrate attention on i the most relevant points, Lord CushenI dun submitted the short memorandum j transmitted last night, which he hopes j may be included in the ultimate reI commendations of the committee. I Lord Cushendun expressed the view I during the discussion that it was im- | practicable to get a general treaty in ! identical terms for countries living un- ■ der utterly dissimilar conditions. He I said Great Britain favoured the fullest j possible reference of justitlcable.= dis* ; putes to arbitration, but no jus- < ticiable disputes arose Britaih wanted j entirely different machinery./She would I give support in the fullest/measure to ■ both arbitration and I treaties, but with one qualification— I namely, that owing to the special cir- . cunistances of the British Empire she I could not accept for either form of : dispute arbitration machinery which i admitted of no reservations.—British Ofe l ficial Wireless. f i AID FOR VICTIMS OF AGGRESSION . BRITISH SUPPORT FOR 3 PROPOSAL 1 Rugby. February 24. The support given bv the British Government to a. Finnish proposal for a provision through the League of financial assistance for any State which is the victim of agression was discussed by Lord Cushendun in a Press interview at Geneva. He pointed j out that the scheme is still in its j initial stages and that its adoption depended upon wide support being forthcoming from other States. Details are to be worked out next week by the Security and Arbitration Committee with the Finance Commission of the League, and will then be referred to the various Governments. I The broad idea is that an international loan should not be provided to a State until the League Council has unanimously agreed that it was the victim of aggression. As a working basis a sum of £50,000,000 was being envisaged, of which Britain’s share • j would probably be about 74 per cent. ’ I Should the scheme materialise it would be closely allied to Article 16 of the . Covenant and might possibly decrease : the necessity for applying other commitments tinder that Article. He : thought it would be a strong inducement to keep the peace if an aggressor State knew international financial help would be forthcoming for the other side.—British Official Wireless.