Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-22
The Story the Week Has Told

ance of the proposed amendment Of the
World Court statute which embodies the
reservations attached TO our Senate's
resolution of adhesion to the statute.
A resolution before the Assembly, sub
mitted by a member of the German
delegation, proposes the following:
The governments SO desiring, whether
or not members of the League, negotiate
with a view to the convoking by the
League Council ct the earliest con-
venience date late in January recon-
firSt collective agreement for develop
ing and facilitating economic relations
by all practicable. means, especially by
lowering tariff barriers and reducing
hindrances to trade" the states par
ticipatinR in the conference to pledge
themselves to make no increase In their
protective duties over two or three
years las determined by the Assembly,
and not to impose new protective
trade" over the same period. Moreover,
(and note this well, gentlemen by the
Potomac), the resolution declares that
the hoped-for conference agreement
should not contain a most favored ma
ton clause. TN other words, q
country outside the agreement could
not, without reciprocity. profit by re-
auctions of tariffs resulting from the
agreement.)
The invitation would be general: but
participation In the conference by other
than European states is scarcely con-
It is seen how the resolution meshes
In with idea of an economic united
states of Europe and how realization
Of its proposals might furnish q gauge
Of the practicability of the latter.
The British delegation has submitted
to the Assembly resolution embody-
ing instructions for the preparatory
disarmament commission, the which
resolution reads in part as follows:
THE Assembly considers that in COM
pleting a draft disarmament convention
the preparatory commission should con-
slider how far the following principle
has been or ought to be adopted-limi-
tation Of the strength of force either
by limiting its numbers or its period OF
training or both"
It is seen that this resolution opens
the question of trained land reserves.
It will be recalled that the Baldwin
government assured Paris that its rep
mission would cooperate with the
French representatives in opposing con-
Sideration of this question by the COM
mission. BY the resolution the
British Labor government, in effect, an
nounces that it Is not bound by the
attitude or assurances (not embodied in
treaty form Of It's predecessor respect
ing disarmament questions. Here is q
new source Of refrigeration in the rela-
tons between France and Great Brit
aim
a furious fight over the resolution
| Is being waged in the disarmament
committee of the Assembly, and 1t Is
| unlikely that 1t will be reported out.
However, there Is nothing to prevent
| the raising of the issue of trained land
reserves at the disarmament confer
ence, If the long-postponed meeting
| should ever take place.
The present indication Is that the
resolution proposing financial aid by
| member states Of the League to men,
Der state which should be victim OF
session from the disarmament commit
tee, in which 1t Is being earnestly de-
| bated.
Delegates to the Assembly OF the
| Irish Free State have signed the OPP
tionaI clause of the World Court proto-
| col with only one trifiing reservation.
| On September 10 the delegates OF the
United Kingdom, New Zealand, South
| Africa and India r, signed 1t with q
common formula" of reservations. For
reasons not made public Canada delays
| to sign; the failure of Australia to sign
is explainable by the Australian politi-
cal crisis.
The common formula Of reservations
| includes the following:
| (a) The court not to have cognizance
Of disputes In regard to questions
which by international law fall exclu-
sively within the jurisdiction OF the
British commonwealth of nations" This
| seems to refer to the court the decision
as to whether or no dispute Is domes-
tic. perhaps this partly explains fall
ure of the Australian delegates to sign,
Australia being unwilling that any ques-
ton relating to immigration into that
4 country should come before the court.)
| (b). The court not to have cognizance
Of disputes within the British common
wealth Of nations.
tc) The court not to have cognizance
Of disputes which may have arisen
previous TO ratification Of the clause, o.