MR LLOYD GEORGE.

Hokitika Guardian, 15 September 1923, Page 3

MR LLOYD GEORGE.

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ADRIATIC AFFAIRS. AUSTRALIAN* AND N.Z. CARLE ASSOCIATION. The following and all of Mr Lloyd George’s articles, are copyright by United Press in America and all countries, copyright in Australasia by the Australian Press, Copyright, in Britain by ttie Daily Chronicle. ' (Reproduction in full or part prohibited). (Received this day at 8 a.m.) LONDON. Sent. 11.

Hon Lloyd George writes : —The volcano w hich broke so unexpectedly in the Adriatic littoral, lias for the time being ceased to bo active. 3 lie lava flow* is at rested and appears to be congealing.

At Corfu, Signor Mussolini has not vet declared war against the League of Nations. That, is probably because the League has abdicated in favour of the Council of Ambassadors. Whether the incident is closed depends upon whether Italy means to stick to Corfu. It is not yet clear whether Mussolini means to give up Corfu, even if Greece humbles her pride to the dust to propitiate ins wrath. If he does go out with one hundred million lire and all the rest, then the whole affair will soon he forgotten and the troubled eye of Europe will wander back to Ruhr, provided always that the Mussolini volcano does not break out in another direction. Subterranean rumblings in the Northern Adriatic are becoming moie audible and an angry Fiumo cratoi may within a few days belch Haines and lava which will not be so easily arrested as those of Corfu.

If Italy remains at Corfu, or strikes at Finnic, then Europe, to vary the metaphor, will have two serious abscesses added to its other ailments. Poor Europe, can she hope to get well.

lint whatever happens, the League of Nations has had a serious shock. A great power, which is a leading member, laid down the principle that the League Inis no right to interfere where one of the parties avers the question of national honour is involved. The Assembly at Geneva practically accepted that grave limitation, thus by implication bowing to Mussolini’s challenge. The Council ol Ambassadors is simply a gathering of diplomatists representing the leading allies in Paris. The League has no control over its proceedings. Henceforth, should any difference arise between nations likely to end in war, and then if one of the disputants claims it affects its national honor, the Dalian precedent places it outside of the jurisdiction of the League. What then becomes of the Covenant if the League of Nations dies is a preeminently an example ol the truth, that many good causes are ruined by injudicious advocacy. Some ol us who count ourselves sincere friends ol the League, have always urged caution in procedure. Zealots scoffed at our timidity. They have now had their way and a. pretty mess they have made of the League.

Wluit could lutvii been more maladroit. and i act less than the handling of this delicate affair by the Council nl the League. Italy, with unfeigned angd* at the cold-blooded murder of her agents on Greek soil, and Italian and (deck rivalries in tlm Mediterranean, old as the days of Pyrrhus, made the Italians believe the worst and there was a statesman who :-:tw in this squalid episode nil opnorlmuly to secure a coveted citadel, which would add M Italian security in the. Adriatic. Ibis was an addd rca-on tor moving wisely and cautious'.' . Instead every bitiiidei was commit ted. ol which t lie combination of fanaticism, vanity and temper was capable. The Council managed to convov tin impression it had already taken sides, belure it heard the put lies. The British representative managed to create a conviction in Italian minds that he had already conic to the conclusion that Italy was in the wrong. The effect of this was so had that it was impossible [or Mussolini to re Hr tbe dispute to the League, even if he wishes j to do so. Things were matte worse by premature discussion in order to put Italy m the wrong in sight oi ih<* civils«oci world. AH this irritated, Italy to rite point of licti/.v. The members in this melodramatic display ought have known that if ".Mussolini had surrendered he would have been done for in Italy. The League ought never to have intervened at nil, until it ascertained that both parties would have accepted their mbitrament. or that certain other Powers notably Britain and France, would have liven tearly (in the event ol either disputant refusing to submit to the League), to enforce tospect for the Covenmu. if an agreement among the Powers was not practicable. then known that France could not allnrd to quarrel with Italy. Mussolini and his Government knew before they bombarded Corfu that the invaders of Ruhr could not force the invaders of Cot fit in take, their ease to Geneva fir docisioti. The retort would have been too obvious to Greece, and why not Germany ? M. Poincare did. The League should have ascertained if at least one power witli the requisite strength was propped to fake measures to enforce the recalcitrant to submit. Short of "tie of these alternatives it Wits madness to ru-h in. As it was Italy made it dear that she would Pave nolle of the League. The Hntisb representative ought to have not mind Britain quarrelling with Italy. 1 liis suited him. so a third eon tinge nov remained. Had Lord Robert Cecil authorin' to commit the British Heel to action. If not why in the name of com monsense .lid he insist upon committing the British Government to a course neither he not* they were prepared to back, ft had damaged the British name and has destroyed the author! I . v of the League of Nations.