Evening star., 1924-09-28
DRAFT Of SECURITY
AND DISARMAMENT
PROTOCOL ADOPTED
League Commission Decides
on June Is, 1925, for Par
ley if Pact Ratified.
U. S. MAY FEEL PRESSURE,
THOUGH NOT SIGNATORY
Refusal to Arbitrate Dispute
Would Evoke Reprisals-Japa-
nese Maintain Stand.
HY the Associated Press.

Rr the Associated Press.
GENEVA, September 27-The dis.
armament commission Of the l.eagu,
or Nations assembly tonight adopted
the Benes report on the draft pro
locol of arbitration and security.
The commission decided that the
worldwide disarmament conference
be held June Is, 1925. if by May l 2
majority of the states represented in
ihe league council and 10 others shall
have ratified the protocoi.
The Japanese objections to the
arbitration clauses go over until the
Sunday morning session of the juri-
diclal committee. There is LITTLE
hope that Japan's position Will be
changed, according to the impression
conveyed by M. Acachi to the various
delegates, notably NJ. BRAND. tonight
Significant for L.. :.
Looming up like a beacon from tbs
almost innumerable points of inter
est marking the closing debate to-
day on the proposed protocol of arhi-
tratlon and security was one possess
ing peculiar Importance for the
United States and other countries
which are not members OF the ague
of Nations.
1t was an Interpretation OF the
protocol made by Or. Edouard Benes
= oilcial reporter to the assembly
that states which do not sign the
protocol and do not belong to the
league may be proclaimed aGsressor
states if they refuse the arbitral
proceedings laid down by the pro-
TocoI and the league covenant and
resort to war.
Should this happen the signatory
states would be- obliged to apply
sanctions against the non-memb Der
states, as provided for in the league
covenant and emphasized by the
protocol now under discussion.
There was no dissenting voice
when DR.. Benes gave this interpre-
tation. The question came up before
the disarmament commission while
II was taking final glance over the
various clauses of the protocol. 1t
Was raised by NJ. Boncour OF France,
who remarked that Article XVII OF
the covenant stipulated that in the
event of II dispute between a mem
her of the league and a non-mem b er
state the league council must under
take the same procedure of ConcIlI-
alton and mediation as EXISTED tor
conflicts between members.
Plan for Outside Nations.
NJ. Boncour said the question OF re-
lationS with a non-rnember state was
grave from the standpoint OF secur-
ity and ii was most important tina I
II should be clearly understood that
under the covenant as adjusted by
the protocol country which never
was a member of the league or sig
- rpt q
10 accept arbitration or conform to
the measures ordained by the council
would be subject to sanctions.
The signatories of the protocol"
he declared, would have both the
duty and obligation of applying to
such refractory and Tecalcitrant
state not the sanctions of the cove
rant, because the state was not Ii
able to the covenant, but the sane
lions of the covenant as defined by
the protocol"
DR.. Bencs explained that one article
of the protocol had adopted the rule
OF the covenant concerning nom
member states involved in disputes
with members. And NJ. Roncour was
right, declared DR.. Benes.
Called Simple System.
The system was extremely simple
A country which was neither sigma
tory of the protocol nor a member of
the league would be invited by the
council to accept the procedure of ar
bitration, and if that state resorted
TO war in disregard of this pro-
cedure, then it would be considered
to have violated the protocol and
would be subject to sanctions.
Exception was made to the arbitra-
ton clauses, which are in the hands
of another commission. 1t is fully
expected that this document will be
presented to the assembly Monday
whether or not the arbitration clauses
are ready.
Or. Benes read 26 pages of a type
written report outlining broadly the
main features of the protocol and ex-
planning just how it varied from the
league covenant. He said that sys-
TEN was about to be presented to the
assembly, and the world wanted a
complete and conclusive system of
arbitration. security and reduction of
armamentS.
Obligations Are Elastic.
He explained that a certain elas-
ticity is allowed with reference to
the fulfillment Of sanction obliga-
tions by the various states, because
ii is realized that states are not in
possession of equal facilities for act
ing when the time comes to apply
sanctions. Article " of the protocol
however, arranged that the council
should be informed in advance of
what each state could contribute A
great omission in the covenant had
been made good, because henceforth
there could be no evasion of reSpon-
sibility to apply sanctions against an
aggreSSor who now could always be
determined.
DR.. Benes emphasized also that the
obligation of states to afford passage
through their territory of forces
which were cooperating against an
aggressor still exists. This admoni-
ton was received with interest, in
view of tue declaration of Count
kessler today that Germany will ask
10 be relieved from the necessity of
authorizing the passage of foreign
troops through German territory. de-
signed for instance, to make an at
tack on Russia as an aggresSor. The
general opinion expressed tonight
was that Germany would have great
difficulty in having her suggestion
complied with.
Furthermore, DR.. BeneS pointed out,
that the protocol does not affect the
special position of Switzerland fixed
by the declaration of the council of
London February, 1920. Concluding,
lie pleaded for acceptance Of the
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