LEAGUE COUNCIL CONVENED

Hokitika Guardian, 4 February 1932, Page 2

LEAGUE COUNCIL CONVENED

BRITISH EXPLANATION

OF DIPLOMATIC INTERVENTION.

(United Press Association.—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.)

GENEVA, February 2. There was an eleventn hour postponement of tiie Disarmament Conference in older to fulfil Britain’s request to convene a League Council to ■discuss the Shanghai affair. The postponement created a sensation. There is a chance of an indefinite postponement to enable the delegates at the Assembly of the League to consider the Sino-Japanese situation. The Chinese may demand the application of , Article Sixteen, which would imply immediate sanction against Japan. Britain to-day very definitely showed herself to he still the spearhead of diplomacy. To-day’s developments at Geneva, created an immense impression. At a specially summoned meeting of the League of Nations Council, the British Secretary for the Dominions, Rt. Hon. J. 11. Thomas, formally brought to the notice of tile Council the gravity of the. latest developments in the Shangsituation, and read a statement, which Sir John Simon was, almost at thofe same moment, making in London to the House of Commons, which reassembled this afternoon. Ml' Thomas’s statement W|.s listened to in intense silence. Hb* emphasised the need for immediate action, declaring the British Government felt that the present situation could not be allowpd to continue, and pointed out its reaction on the League. After referring to the joint efforts by Britain *»*d the United States to restore peace, he expressed the hope that the other members of the League would reinforce the proposals which to-day were made to the Japanese and Chinese Governments. Mr Thomas announced ilthat Britain regarded a continuation the situation impossible. He add- : “War in everything but name Hf progressing. Members, of the League j jjjannot be indifferent to it, otherwwe Pie. Covenant, Paris Pact and the j ine Power Treaty will lose the con- I ijxience of the world. It is significant Hat America takes a similar view." jj&M. Tardieu. for France, and Signor Hrandi, for Italy, immediately promised co-operation, and the German ( Relegate also expressed sympathy for j life measures adopted. W The Japanese representative, Vis-I iSount Satto, said he believed that his government would welcome the proposal to create a neutral zone, | ; i The Chairman (M. Tardieu), in ad- ( burning the meeting, said that its purpose, which was to associate the : Council with the action of Britain, | prance, Italy and the United States. 1 ,Jyid h§en attained. Frnnee’s land and piaval forces in the Far East would •lie added and would be increased. Italy was also sending additional dyarships and marines to Shanghai. , &

It was rather ironic that Mr Thomas belicvedly tui Mr MacDonald's pressi ing representations, got all the limelight, while his old colleague, Mr Henderson, had to wait for his hour of glory, at the Disarmament Conference until the Council’s special session had registered approval of Britain’s strong appeal to the belligerent Orientals. There was no mistaking the deep impression Mr Thomas’s declaration created. All hotel lounges to-night are humming with discussions on its possible effects. Some commentators are eager to assert that the Japanese are somewhat worried by the turn of events, in the sense that Britain’s declaration dispelled any illusions about the old basis of Britain’s traditional friendship, but the simple fact is that Britain thought the ewmts in the Far East had gone far enough, and it was time to call a halt without saying who was to blame. The manner and the moment of spying it is everywhere highly praised, and a better atmosphere is already discernible. > Delegate's from over sixty nations were present when the Disarmament Conference opened at Geneva, this evening. The President, Mr Arthur Henderson, before beginning hi s address, made reference to “the tragic fact that, at the moment when the Conference, the very purpose of which is to take steps towards the maintenance of peace, begins its work, we are confronted with a situation, of extreme gravity in the Far East. It is imperative that all the signatories of the' Covenant and of the BriandKellogg Pact, should make it their business to ensure the strict observance of these two great safeguards against acts of violence and war.”

STATEMENT IN COMMONS. BY SIR J. SIMON. RUGBY, February 2. | In the House of Commons, Sir J. : Simon (Foreign Secretary) made a statement on the' Shanghai situation : (similar to that read at Geneva to' the J League Council by Mr Henderson), ns follows: Hostilities of a very serious ! nature broke out on the night of January 28th. between the Chinese and Japanese at Shanghai. The British j Government regards these events with 1 grave concern, both in the general in- : terests of peace, and owing to the I proximity of the International Settlement, with consequent danger to the lives and property' of British' nationafs. They made pressing representations, more than once repeated, and urged the Japanese and Chinese Governments, and the commanders on the spot, to accept a scheme, put forward as the result of the efforts of the British and United States ConsulsGeneral in Shanghai, for the establishment of a neutral zone between the Chinese and Japanese forces. This zone would have to be' occupied by the troops of neutral Powers with forces in the International Settlement. Instructions had been given for the British troops to co-operate if the zone could be established. Owing to the efforts of the Consula-Gencral, a truce was arranged on the evening of January 29, but he regretted to see,

in the last press reports, that fighting appeared to have broken out again. The British Government had further urged upon both Governments, with the utmost earnestness, to do what lies in and upon them to remedy the existing situation.” He mentioned that British reinforcements had J been sent to Shanghai, and emphasising the close consultation which had been maintained and would be continued with the other Powers/concerned.

Sir John Simon referred briefly to the shelling last- night at Nanking, and proceeded: “I would now add, and this is of great importance, that instructions were sent to His Majesty’s representatives at Tokio and Nanking, to deliver this morning to those Governments certain proposals (published in Washington cablegram), and to press strongly for their acceptance, indicating that they are being simultaneously urged upon the other party. These proposals have been concerted with the United States Government, and the French and Italian Governments were asked to act similarly. T have since received information that these Governments have acted in the sense desired.”

Air MacDonald, in replying to Mr Lansbury, said until replies were received to the Powers’ representations, it would be inopportune to have a general debate on the trouble in the Far East, which would only do harm. LONDON, February 2. All* Lansbury, following Sir J. Simon, roused many protests and demands for withdrawal, when be declared: “The country and world ought t-o reeognjsc Japan to date as engaged in a piece of international piracy.” The Speaker: “The Member ought to remember that he is referring to a friendly Power.”