The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. THURSDAY, JUNE 21, 1928.

Hokitika Guardian, 21 June 1928, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. THURSDAY, JUNE 21, 1928.

• INTERNATIONAL PEACE PACT. ( According to the Paris Journal, suman exchange, M. Briand in his atest Note to ALr Kellogg has made | certain important concessions which | strengthen the hope that France will [ bo able to come into line with other ' nations on the proposal for the outhnvry of war. This is good news. The French insistence upon reservations safeguarding existing treaty conun itments lias hitherto been a difficult obstacle in the way of complete intcr- ! ‘national unanimity on the question. | On such a far-reaching proposition ! general unanimity is clearly desirable, j though not, absolutely essential save I in its moral effect. The general opinion held by competent observers of these negotiations is that any attempt to set out definitions would raise insuperable difficulties. Tlie Manchester Guardian, at an early stage of the discussions, expressed the opinion that “a certain degree of vagueness is sometimes useful, or even indispensable in approaching a problem whose final solution must in any case lie distant.” The Daily Chronicle, arguing in the same spirit, declared that “there is a far higher degree of safety in an association of nations, which is based on the obligation to punish war. The latter is a standing excuse "for big armaments.” Behind France’s .hesitancy hitherto is a feeling of insecurity. The same nervousness was in evidence when the negotiations for the Pact of Locarno were in progress. Considering this aspect of the case the London Times suggested that if the proposed treaty were signed by Germany and Poland, as well as France, the risk of a serious attack on Poland would be immensely reduced, “though,” added that journal, “it certainly Is a much harder task to bring the persistent Russian anomaly within the scope of a general obligation to renounce war.” It has been suggested that the time must arrive when the nations, having affirmed the general principle, will have to face the question of details. The original American Note made no reference to that, merely submitting the tgenertil proposition : —(t) Tho high contracting parties solemnly declare, in the name of their respective peoples that they condemn recourse to war for the solution of international controversies, and renounce it as an instrument of national policy in their relations with one another. (2) The high contracting parties agree that the settlement or solution of all disputes or conflicts, of whatever nature, or of ’whatever origin they may bo, which may arise among them, shall never be sought except by pacific means. The discussions on the reservations raised by France prompted the Liverpool Post to remark that the effect of these might be to lead America herself to take a new .view of the League of Nations.' “She cannot,” said that journal, “lead the world in peace by means of a generalisation. She .must get down to the details of administering peace, and the only instrument we have for doing that is the League.” It may be assumed, however, that the American plan left it to individual nations to select their mvn for the settlement of questions at issue. To raise the- question of the machinery to be used might involve discussions which would wreck the whole scheme. The great thing is the'general principle. Once that is secured, a new atmosphere will lx* created which will enable nations concerned to devise methods of arbitration best suited to their, conditions and temperament