TOPICS OF THE TIMES

Southland Times, Issue 21093, 27 May 1930, Page 6

TOPICS OF THE TIMES

“I dm convinced that the future of a democratic society like our own mainly depends on the spirit with which we can inspire all our young citizens —whatever their destined avocations,” writes Sir J. A. R. Marriott, in the Hibbert Journal. “Are they destined to be surgeons or scavengers; to bake bread (by machinery) or manage a bank; to distribute milk or preside over a Cabinet? Equally they can serve the Commonwealth if they be inspired to go the daily round and perform the trivial task, ‘as ever in the great task-master’s eye.’ To banish the trivial task, the sordid occupation, is impossible, save perhaps in Utopia, and evert in Utopia you can do it—if at all—only by a strict limitation of population. But it is not impossible to idealize the banausic occupations; to help the scavenger to perceive that in the scrupulous performance of his allotted task he is performing a service to the community as important as the trained skill of the great surgeon. Few dairymen, perhaps, are idealists; nor are all artists. But it should not be impossible to convince the former that the health of the community is not less, but more, important than its appreciation of colour and form. Such a conviction—the sense of service, whether the service be ‘honourable’ or ‘menial,’ can alone give dignity to labour.”

Britain’s obligations under the Locarno Treaty and the Briand-Kellogg Pact were discussed by Mr J. L. Garvin in the Observer recently. His interpretation of the Pact, which has been signed by 60 nations, is that Britain is not committed to go to war in any contingency whatever against her own free judgment at the time. “On the contrary, We are prohibited from going to war except in plain self-defence. We are committed to nothing but to peace itself. Identical with this view is that of every British Dominion.” By Article 111. of the Locarno Treaty “Germany and Belgium, and Germany and France, undertake to settle by peaceful means and in the manner laid down herein, all questions of every kind which may arise between them.” Mr Garvin says that if any of them prove false to this engagement, and doubly false under the Kellogg Pact, the first duty of a British Government would be to remind them of both. “There are two safeguards against the precipitate action of the ‘guaranteeing Powers,’ Britain and Italy, under the Locarno agreement.' First, the Council of the League must give a verdict unanimously —votes of appellants excluded —against the aggressor or aggressors. Secondly, any guaranteeing Power like Britain or Italy must have been ‘able to satisfy itself’ that ‘an unprovoked act of aggression’ has occurred. As far as this country is concerned, the main safeguard is preserved. Read with the Kellogg Pact, the Locarno conditions mean that it is impossible for this country to be dragged into war without the consent of Parliament. . . . Especially are we bound to consult with America, as well as with the dominions; and then to submit the issue to the House of Commons, before giving our vote in the Council of the League for ‘authorized war.’ Such are our present safeguards against ‘automatic entanglement’ under the Locarno Treaty and the Kellogg Pact together.”