Way Paved for Pact

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 359, 21 May 1928, Page 9

Way Paved for Pact

BRITAIN AND WAR-OUTLAWRY Some Points Reserved DISAPPOINTMENT FELT AT WASHINGTON (United P.A.—By Telegraph — Copyright) (Australian Press Association) LONDON, Sunday. FIRST impressions of Sir Austen Chamberlain's reply to America in regard to the proposed outlawry of war pact are favourable. It is believed that by liis frank acceptance of the principle, combined with his tactful recognition of France's difficulties, the way has been paved to negotiations for a treaty. BIG “UMBRELLA” PACT

First impressions of Sir Austen Chamberlain’s reply to America in regard to the proposed outlawry of war pact are favourable. It is believed that by his frank acceptance of the principle, combined with his tactful recognition of France’s difficulties, the way has been paved to negotiations for a treaty. Some disappointment is expressed in 'Washington that the Note did not contain a more sweeping endorsement of the proposal of Mr. F. B. Kellogg, who sought a simple, unqualified declaration against war. Britain’s support of Article 4 of the French counter-draft( providing that the proopsed treaty shall in no way nullify obligations consequent upon previous treaties) has been opposed from the first in Washington as something that would vitiate the entire treaty, and the hope was held out today that by siding with France on this question Britain had only gone to the extent of stating a preference from which she might be induced to recede. Article 10 of the British reply is held to refer to Egypt and the Suez Canal. Both are recognised as vital to the defence of the Empire, but fears are entertained that the incorporation in the proposed treaty of any such reservation might go far to sap the treaty’s vitality. IMPORTANT ASPECT One important aspect of the British Note from the standpoint of the British Empire is not only the announcement that the Dominions and India favour the project for the outlawry of war, but request to allow them, as Governments, to sign a multilateral treaty. Mr. Kellogg has made it known that invitations would be sent to the Dominions. Germany has given her complete approval of • the proposal. Italy has avoided taking a definite stand, but has signified her approval of the general idea. France has countered the proposal with a draft treaty against war which is regarded in Washington as emasculating Mr. Kellogg’s proposal to the point of making it completely ineffective. Japan will submit her reply soon. This is expected to indicate at least her general acceptance of Mr. Kellogg’s formula. REPLY APPROVED The diplomatic correspondent of the “Daily Telegraph” says the British reply to Mr. Kellogg’s proposals has been dispatched. It is believed that it constitutes an acceptance of the plan with new and specific reservations formulated in London or in the Dominions. The editor of the “Observer,” Mr. J. L. Garvin, in an article in that journal, says he approves the reply. He lays stress on the point that while it is possible to harmonise the proposed pact with the covenant of the League and the Treaty of Locarno, not for one moment could Britain and the Dominions assume any sore of responsibility for France’s arrangements with the Little Entente and Poland, which seem to imply armed resistance to any revision of the frontiers fixed by the Versailles Treaty in Central and Eastern Europe. The writer says he hopes Britain will now leave France to conduct her own case and not risk slipping into a position where America and Germany would be on one side of the diplomatic table and Britain and France on the other.

COVERING ALL OTHERS GENERAL SMUTS’S VIEW (United Service) CAPETOWN, Saturday. The Leader of the Opposition in the "Union Parliament, General Smuts, today made an important suggestion in connection with the American proposal for a treaty to outlaw war. He said ho regarded it as reinforcing the covenant of the League of Nations. With the support of the United States behind this economic sanction the ' prospect of future peace, on the double basis of the covenant and the proposed treaty, had become far more bright and more stable. A c o m p 1 e mentary declaration against war. with the enthusiastic support of America, might well mean the rescue of the League from becoming a special concern and almost the private property of any particular group of Powers. Special defensive groups had arisen in Europe which did not harmonise with the spirit of the League, and which involved war obligations. The Locarno system might, in the last resort mean war, and war obligations on its members, and it was against these pacts and this system that the outlawry of war under the proposed declaration bumped violently. The way out of this would be to make all the signatories not only of the Locarno pact, but of other defensive pacts, parties to the declaration. The Locarno and other pacts must necessarily stand, but they would all be covered by the “umbrella” of the proposed declaraThe effect then would be that if the proposed declaration were violated by an arbitrary aggressor the defenders would still be able * fal back on the Locarno and otl icts as their second line of do; But it was quit* sible that the “umbrella” might prove effective against the storm, and that it might safeguard the peace of Central Europe, even more effeetivey than the patchedup arrangements of the last ten years. General Smuts urged that it was vain to organise for world peace and to lo out Russia.