LEAGUE OF NATIONS

Hokitika Guardian, 12 September 1927, Page 3

LEAGUE OF NATIONS

LEAGUE ATTI TUDE. {Australian & N.Z. Cable Association.) (Received tin's day at 8 a.m.) GENEVA, Sept. VI. Sir A. Chamberlain addressing the Assembly said no country had done so much to guarantee frontiers of other countries as Britain. In guaranteeing tho frontiers of France, Germany, and Belgium she would keep her pledges as faithfully as she did to Belgium in 1914. Could not other nations go as much before pressing Britain to go further and in so doing bring together two other nations regarding each other with suspicion and fear. He warned Blokland that it- would be impossible to take up the principles of the Protocol with out reopening troubled debates before there was any indication it was necessary for an alteration of the mtfnd thereon. Britain could not guarantee all frontiers. It would disrupt the Empire. His loyalty to the League was profound, hut loyalty to the other league, namely tlie Empire, came first. He implored the Assembly to have confidence in llie Covenant delegates alid in themselves. If the Assembly’ piled sanction upon sanction it might make its house a living tomb. To-day’s impossibilities might be achievable to-morrow. The League was a sturdy sapling and eventually the nations might assemble under its protection as beneath the shadow of a mighty oak. GENEVA, Sept. 11.

Sir A. Chamberlain spoke four and a half hours paying ft tribute to Herr Stresemann and to M. Briand, whom ho complimented on shaking hands with Stresemann as a. vow of the FrancoAlerman jjeace. Their speeches answered recreant remarks that the league was losing authority. Sokal’s motion, though not new, was welcomed because it resolved to eschew the path of war. Chamberlain agreed with Lomberow who denied that the great Powers were withdrawing from the Council of the Assembly decisions belonging to it. The failure of the Naval Conference provided a lesson for the future. Britain had proved by deeds that she earnestly desired a real reduction of armaments. Regarding arbitration, the Empire was a community of free nations unable always to accept obligations readily undortnknble by a homogenous state.

LEAGUE AFFAIRS. GENEVA, Sept. 11

Sir A. Chamberlain in the course of a speech said:—You ask us to take for every country frontier the same guarantee we take for tho western frontier under the Locarno Pact. If you ask us that you ask tho impossible. Y'ou do not know what you are asking. You nre asking for nothing less than the disruption of the British Empire. 1 yield to none in devotion to tlm League but not even for the League will I destroy that smaller, older, league, the British Empire. Just before the adjournment the Duties Delegation amended Van Blokland’s motion demanding a restudy of the underlying principles to a simpler, none acceptable, more harmless motion, asking the Third Commission whereto they will refer the restudy question of security, disarmament arbitration, without mentioning the Protocol. So far it looks as though the long drawn fight required in 1. -1 to scotch the Protocol will not need repetition. _______