LEAGUE COVENANT

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 909, 28 February 1930, Page 9

LEAGUE COVENANT

RELATIONSHIP WITH PACT DISCUSSED PROGRESS AT GENEVA British Official Wireless RUGBY, Wednesday. A committee of the League of Nations yesterday began consideration at Geneva of the question of amending the Covenant of the League, to bring it into harmony with the Briand-Kellogg Pact. Considerable difference of opinion was expressed as to whether the committee should concern itself with the necessity for a revision of the Covenant. The British delegate. Viscount Cecil, contended that a distinction should be drawn between the desirability and the possibility of revision, and that the committee’s sole concern was the possibility. The greater part of the session was devoted to a discussion of this question, and toward the close consideration of amendments to the Covenant was begun. Briefly stated, the British Government’s proposed amendments favour an alteration to Article XII., by which the signatories pledge themselves not to resort to war until three months after the arbitrators’ award, or the League Council’s report in the dispute, has been submitted, in such a way that the article shall pledge the signatories “in no case to resort to war.” The proposed British amendment to Article XV., which In certain circumstances permits the disputants to “take such action as they consider necessary for the maintenance of right and justice,” is that the action contemplated by this article should be qualified by the words “other than resort to war.” By this means it is suggested tha{ the gap between the Covenant, which in certain circumstances contemplates war. and the pact, which renounces war! would be closed.