THE PEACE PACT

Hokitika Guardian, 18 June 1929, Page 3

THE PEACE PACT

DEFINITION OF AVAR AND POLICE ACTION “It is clear indeed that the ratification of the Peace Pact will make it imperative to draw a distinction between ‘war’ and police action,’ says the “Round Table.” “War ought to be defined as the use of military, naval or air forces.to enforce,a national policy. Police operations ought o be defined as the use of military, naval or- air forces to enforce a national j>olicy. Police pperations ought to be defined as the use of these forces to prevent recourse to war, or to bring pressure on belligerents to stop fighting and have rcourse to pacific means of settlement or to preserve lile and property. In >fact, it is becoming clearer every day that the whole attempt which has hitherto been made to prevent war by defining the ‘ag.grossor’ or ‘outlaw State’ and requiring: members to take sanctions against such aggressor- or outlaw' is on the; .wrong lines. The obligation which the. Peace Pact or the Covenant ought to: impose is that of taking economic or; otherxsanctions impartially against all; belligerents or intending belligerents”! Bit since the growth of the real peace! spirit-..is likely to be slow, “in practice, {for some time, we are therefore likely to be confronted by a situation in which either the great Powers will not all be prepared to take adequate action to prevent war or in which there will be no agreement either by Council pf the League or otherwise as to awbich side is in the wrong. . . The Anglo-American dispute will be solved, the formula required to cover ‘parity will appear, the new difficulties which threaten to arise from the rapid expansion of the French and the Italian navies will disappear, when Great Britain recognises that the use of seapower- is no longer a matter which she. can decide arbitrarily on her own

judgment ,and when the United States ' is willing to share responsibility with the other naval Powers for deciding when and how sea-power is to be used internationally for the prevention of war.”