LEAGUE ASSEMBLY

Evening Star, Issue 19663, 16 September 1927, Page 5

LEAGUE ASSEMBLY

BRITAIN AND .THE PROTOCOL

imperial cmference suggested

WIDESPREAD INTEREST

Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright.

LONDON, September I I. The ‘ Daily Herald ’ states that widespread interest has been manifested in Mr It ain say MacDonald’s proposal for a special imperial Conference to discuss the Empire’s obligations under the protocol. Mr Arthur Henderson says that the protocol is not the final word in the regulation of international relations, but there has been much misunderstanding. The proposals did not receive the dispassionate consideration to which they were entitled owing to the conditions in October, 1924. Ho approves of the special Imperial Conference. Lord Parraoor says that full publication of the correspondence with the dominions on the protocol is essential.

DISARMAMENT,

DR NANSEN’S VIEWS

GENEVA, September LI. The explorer, Dr Nansen, made a notable contribution to the disarmament debate when the Third Commission was tabling a proposed optional arbitration treaty under which the signatories, in addition to obligations under the covenant, undertake to accept the decision of The Hague Court for legal questions, and the committee, of arbitrators for other questions, thus covering the whole field of international differences, which ordinary diplomacy or the League Council is unable to settle. Dr Nansen argued that the proposed obligation would voluntarily undertake to provide a means of security without involving all tho controversies concerning tho protocol. Tho armaments of tho world were at. present costing £700,000,000 annually. COUNCIL ELECTIONS. AN INTERESTING PROPOSAL. GENEVA, September 15. (Received September 16, at 1.30 a.m.) Mr Hambro, the Norwegian delegate, made an interesting suggestion to the Sixth Commission that a single transferrable vote, equivalent to tho Australian preferential voting, should be used in Council elections. Students of the League consider that this method is possible, and is the only chance tho dominions would have of obtaining a seat. At present the solid block of fourteen Central and Southern Americans will vote first for their own candidature, then vote again to fill the remaining vacancies. They will also be susceptible to lobbying on behalf of the small European Powers. Their vote is decisive. A dominion cannot be elected without at least a part of the American votes. While South Africa and Canada supported the suggestion, Sir Edward Hilton Young (Britain) opposed it on the ground that tho present method of election ought to bo further tried. A sub-committco was appointed to consider tho matter. BELGIUM DESIRES TO RETAIN SEAT. CANADA'S CHANCES STRENGTHENED. GENEVA} September 15. (Received September 16, at 9.30 a.in.) Belgium desires, as a signatory to the Locarno Pact, to retain a scat on the Council of the League of Nations, which was thwarted by her failure to gain tho Assembly’s two-thirds majority declaring her eligibility for re-election. Tho voting was 29 against 19 in favor, or three short of the requisite number. Canada’s chances of being chosen with Cuba as American representatives arc thus strengthened.—A. and N.Z. «nd ‘ Sun ’ Cable.

CANADA ELECTED. GENEVA, September 15. (Received September 16, at 9.35 a.m.) Canada, Cuba, and Finland wore elected to the League Council, DISARMAMENT. DESIRABLE—IF POSSIBLE. (British Official News.) Tress Association—By Wireless—Copyright. RUGBY, September 15. (Received September 16, at 11.12 a.m.) During the disarmament debate in the Third Committee of the League Assembly at Geneva yesterday Lord Onslow, one of the British delegates, supported and supplemented Saturday’s speech of Sir Austen Chamberlain. Lord Onslow said be did not accept the view that nothing, or only very little, had been done in the way of limitation of armaments. This was bis third visit to Geneva, and ho had noticed a. steady advance in moral disarmament. As a subject was more hilly explored Ibe moro particular difficulties of each _ country were clearly seen. The British Government Was committed to disarmament on tho lines recommended by _ the Permanent Advisory Commission of the League. Discussing the manufacture of arms, he remarked that it was absolutely necessary that all the important Governments of the world should participate in an agreement. The revival of the discussion of the Protocol could lead only to differences of views.