THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS.

Hokitika Guardian, 9 September 1927, Page 2

THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS.

SPLIT IX LEAGUE. Australian Press Association & Sun.) GENEVA, Sept. 7. Prospects of the eighth assembly of tho League have changed from sunshine t:> stormy. Mr Van Blokman (Dutch delegate) lm« inaugurated the change by making hi.s nuprossioiied pie.; far disarmament v.liicu amounted! (:> a demand for the revivals of the defunct Geneva Protocol. Ail the smia'll states favour the Dutch proposal, but the big Powers arc critical. The matter is causing a hubbub of excitement in fho League lobbies, and it- has made Heir Str&semann cancel iii.s an nil genu: ills iar a return to Beilin on Fiiday. • The dead ,-peaks,” is lmw ihe local press sums up the reception of Mr Van Blokinan’s speech. In other words-, the Geneva Protocol was believed to have been buried ill 11)21, but if is now found to have been only sleeping. A big group of tlm smaller Powers are bent on awakening it. Their viewpoint is this: ‘'You larger Power-; have your Local no 'treaties. You can afford to dismiss any general treaty for arbitration, security, and disarmament; but we smaller Powers are not protected, and v.c are alarmed to see the manner in which you have removed from the League the decision of iho biggest international differences in ncant years!” The result of those maiiocuvrings for the resurrection-of the Geneva protocol and of Poland’s agitation for a Security Pact covering Eastern Europe is to pat the British Empire delegation in an awkward position. The advocates of both the propositions stale frankly that everything depends on the British attitude. Prolonged conferences between the heads of the Empire delegations are being held. The general British viewpoint is that nothing has occurred to make the Geneva Pmetocol more welcome to the Empire, and that it must therefore be j ("iinitered strenuously. This opposition to the Protocol continues to be unanimous amongst the British Empire delegations. There discussions chiefly concern the tactics to be employed by them to get tho Protocol out of the Wav.

Poland’s resolution lias not yei been finally drill ted. Apparently it requires the whole of the League's signatures to pledge themselves to compulsory arbitration and noli aggression. Originally largo iniiniiers of the smali Powers had pledged themselves to support Poland. but (lay-long endeavours by tile “big-throe” have been made to get the Polish proposition turned down. The real ground for the Big Powers’ opposition i.s li. feeling that Poland is seeking to use the League to establish permanently the status quo on Germany’s eastern frontier. Britain i.s determined not- to commit the Empire to any further obligations in Eastern Europe beyond those included in the League Covenant and the Locarno Pacts.

LONDON, Sept. 8. It is unofficially stated that Poland’s suggested all-round pact covers three principles— first as a protocol, and secondly, arbitration and disarmament—by providing for the outlawry of all forms of war. Secondly, it provides for all disputes, and thirdly provides for the stabilisati on of the present armaments until a reduction is pos sill do. LEAGUE AGREEMENT. (Received this day at 8 a.m.) LONDON, Sept. 8. Geneva jurists sal past midnight and reached an agreement on Polish non-aggression, and are submitting it to tlio Assembly in the afternoon.