Evening star., 1933-07-16
BY GASTON NERVAL.

TINE greatest objection of skeptics
and pessimists to the League
Covenant. the Kellogg BRAND
i pact, the postwar arbitration
treaties and, in general. the
whole peace machinery painstakinely
built up since Versailles lies in what
they consider the impossibility cf de-
termining the aggressor.
The problem of finding out who
threw the first stone has constituted
the main hindrance to the success of
an anti-war measures. And the critics
have exploited the difficulties Of the
problem to scorn the endeavors of
idealistic statesmen who have been
cruSading against war.
Latin America is no exception to
the rule. There. too, lie-hard ma
tionalists oppose disarmament, interna-
war-outlawing devices on The ground
that it will never be possible to single
out the aggreSsor state. So long as
this difficulty exists, they claim. all the
treaties and agreements intended to
preserve peace by Furnishing the ag-
gresSor will be nullified by the two
contending nations adopting the posi-
ton Of the offended party
The problem, undoubtedly, is a seri-
GUS one. And, unfortunately, in Latin
America it has been confirmed by re-
cent actual experiences
But this does not mean that 1t is
an insoluble problem. The solution
was advanced recently by the Presi-
dent of r. United States in his world
peace r'.ssage to the heads of all
sovereign states.
Proposal of Roosevelt.
Suggesting the signing of new and
universal aggression pact to sup
plement the Kellogg-Briani treaty and
the imperfect peace machinery now
existing, President Roosevelt summed
up his idea OF such a pact by pro-
posing that the nations of the world
individually agree that they will send
no armed force Of whatsoever nature
across their frontiers
If this principle could make its way
in the domain of international law no
question would arise in the future as
to the Identification of the aggressor.
The definition of an aggress2r state.
according to the Roosevelt plan, is at
once SO simple and SO G NAL that one
wonders why 1t had before escaped
expert diplomats and astute interna-
tlonal lawyers.
Deduced from the presidential mes
sage, such definition would be: An
aggressor state is that which sends
armed forces across its froutiers.
This Is so broad and all-inclusive
that under its test not one of the diff
ferent situations which in the recent
past have obscured the identity of an
aggressor country could have a repe-
titicn in the future. Armed interven-
ton for the preservation of internal
order, protection Of nationals abroad,
protection Of foreign property. offensive
self-defense, forcible collection of debts,
vlndlcation Of the national dignity
would no longer becloud the issue. The
moment that a state sent its armed
forces across its own frontiers, in the
name OF any one of the above-men-
toned shibboleths the aggression would
have been committed and the excuses
would not suffice.
The aggressor would be easily recog-
nlzed. no matter how just its cause
might be if, to satisfy its grievances,
it chose the means of force in prefer
ence to those of diplomacy and arbi-
tration. And, what is even more i'm
portant, it would be recognized, ire
spective Of physical size or military
power.
Endorsed With Enthusiasm
That the statesmen of the world real
lied the significance and scope of the
Roosevelt suggestion was clearly shown
by the enthusiasm with which they in
dorsed it. although certain countries
which are at present engaged in i'm
perialistic adventures could not con-
ceal their alarm. As for Latin America
the welcome accorded the Presidents
message was unanimous
A few days ago, at London the first
instruments of peace containing an
anti-aggression provision along the
lines of the Roosevelt suggestion were
signed. In all cases, in ali nine cases,
at one end Of the treaties appeared
the signature of Russia Not many
people seem to have noticed it. but
Russia is the only country which has
SO far been getting anything out of the
World Economic Conference in Lon
don. While the delegations of the cap
ltalistic countries were hopelessly dis
cussing stabilization Of exchanges
each day more hopelessiy than the day
before-Russias chief delegate, Maxim
Litvinoff, accomplished three things
First, he renewed trade relations with
Great Britain, interrupted since the
trial of the British engineers in Rus