THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS.

Hokitika Guardian, 8 September 1927, Page 2

THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS.

Australian Press -Association it Sun.) GENEVA, Sept. G. Sir .Austen Chamberlain, interviewed said : “Canada’s candidature for a seat on the League Council is more interesting to me Empire than any other. I will have great pleasure in supporting it.”

Questioned regarding Poland’s proposed non-aggression pacts, Sir A. Chamberlain replied: “The League’s Covenant already gives security, besides local agreements for eastern and western European boundaries, whereby the parties solemnly undertake not to resort to aggression. It is difficult to imagine what further security could ho given. The proposed new agreement would lie the height of impolicy. It would seem to underestimate the strength of the securities already existing. It might indeed subtract from them. 1 do not know whether | the Assembly will desire a resolution recommending, as it did in 102 G, an extension of the Locarno Agreements tr> other parts of the world ; hut. if so. T will gladly co-operate. Britain has carried the limitation of her land forces to an extreme point as compatible with her obligations.' 1 would gladly have seen the Washington naval limitations extended both in respect to the classes of ships agreed on at AVashington, and in respect to other classes. The naval conference failed : but it has brought us nearer to an agreement. I have always held with Lord Cecil that progress must be slow and that the first great- conference would not bring a final and complete scheme. Probably there will lie many conferences before we reach the measure of disarmament we would like. The essence of disarmament i.s moral disarmament. I am against any feverish impatience which demands us to do something without knowing what can usefully he done. Let us he sure what wo want first.”

GENEVA, Sept. 7. "Within a couple of hours after Sir Austen Chamberlain bad informed the Dominion journalists that the present session of the League was likely to he useful, but not in the least sensational. M. Aan Blokland (the Dutch Foreign Minister) delivered a speech in the Assembly which quickly filled the vacant places, and made everyone sit up and take notice. The speech traversed the whole question of disarmament, stating that the' failure to carry out the Economic Commission’s recommendations in favour of reduced duties had kept alive a constant source of Iriction. which often eventually led to war. He finally tabled a resolution declaring that the time had com? to restudv. not the actual old Geneva Protocol, but its underlying principles of security, arbitration and disarmament.

The Assembly then adjourned. Sir Austen Chamberlain and Ar Briand followed the speech closely and the former took many notes.