TO STOP WAR.

Taranaki Daily News, 9 January 1922, Page 5

TO STOP WAR.

GREAT STEP FORWARD, FIVE-POWERS PACT. ■ —— i A MORAL DEAGUE. AIM TO KEEP PEACE. By Telegraph.—Pres* Assn.—Copyright. Received Jan. 8, 5.5 p.m. Washington, Jan. 6. As at present drafted the treaty provision dealing with the possibilities of war witKa noq-signatory Power is one of the most important, marking a long step forward in the association i nations. The wording says that in the event of any of the five Powers being threatened with war the other four shall confer to see what measures can be taken to avert war. Thus, for example, suppose war was threatened against Italy by Greece. Then the United States, France, Britain and Japan would meet to consider the position, and perhaps offer good offices or indicate their opinion that war was not justified. In the event of a threat becoming an actuality the remaining Powers would retain , neutrality, but would make it known* that Italy, during the pendency of war, would be absolved from the limitations of the treaty, and entitled to increase her naval power, afterwards reverting to the ration fixed.

While this provision does not constitute for the five, Powers an alliance, and while there is ho promise direct or implied to use force or bind any Power to the assistance of another, nevertheless it is a moral league, which should do much, it is believed, to avert the danger of a European war. It is not a league of nations, but a league to maintain and enforce peace, inasmuch as the nation in the wrong threatening or declaring war would risk' isolation by all the Powers and would think twice before entering war under such conditions, whether such nation be signatory or non-signatory. lit will be interesting to see American reaction on this provision. Many will detect a eovert article ten, but the provision has really nothing in common with article ten. The provision carries out President Harding’s long cherished hope for an association of nations, recognising not force, but moral power, bringing the nations together to achieve definite results, but imposing no binding obligations. The American delegates have given their sanction to this article, being convinced it is not open to the same objections as the league of nations.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.