Evening star., 1936-12-06
PEACE TALK COULD HELP
BY DEFINING sACCRESSOR'
Buenos Aires Conference Has Oppor.
tunity to Make Great Contri.
button to Cause of Peace.


definition of an aggressive state was
contained in the Protocol for the Pa
cific Settlement of International Dis
putes. drafted at Geneva in 1924, and
signed. though not ratified. by l8 coun-
tries members of the League of Ma
tions. The protocol was mainly con-
cerned, however, with the obligations
of the League Covenant. and the only
aggression it had in view were those
involving disregard of the methods
for diplomatic negotiation provided
for in articles 13 and IS of the Cove
nant; failure to comply with a judicial
sentence or an arbitral award arrived
at with the aid of the legal machinery
recognized by the Covenant, and vio-
lation of measures enjoined by the
Leagues Council for the period while
the proceedings of conciliation or ar
bitration were in progress.
A more inclusive and perfected
formula was that submitted to the
Disarmament Conference of 1888 by
the Russian government, and later
adopted by the Committee on Security
Questions of the League of Nations.
This, the Litvinof formula. has been
indorsed by the most prominent au-
thorities on international law and is
actually in effect for all the countries,
neighbors of Russia. who have signed
non aggression pacts with the
Soviets.
1t defines as an aggreSSor state that
which, IN an international conflict. Is
the first to commit any Of the follow
ing actions:
/. Declaration of war upon another
state:
2. Invasion by its armed forces, with
or without a declaration Of war, of
the territory, vessels or aircraft of an
other state;
3. Attack by its land, naval or air
force, with or without declaration of
war. on the territory. vessels or air.
craft of another state;
4. Naval blockade of the coasts or
ports of another state;
S. Provision of support to armed
bands formed in its territory which
have invaded the territory Of another
state, or refusal. Notwithstanding the
request of the invaded state, to take,
in its own territory, all the measures
in its power to deprive those bands Of
all assistance or protection.
No Excuse for Aggressions.
Moreover, it is specified that mo
political, economic or other conSidera-
tions may serve as an excuse or justi-
fication for the aggressions referred
to-"
In the Western Hemisphere the idea
was ably seized and developed by the
authors of the Mexican Peace Code
which was submitted at the Monte
video Conference Of December, 1888.
Although the Mexican Code was not
even discussed at Montevideo, but
merely recommended to the attention
of the participating governments, the
definition of the aggressor has been
suggested by more than one Latin
American country as the next i'm
portant step in the peace machinery
which the Buenos Aires conferees are
attempting to build up.
As for the United States, there Is
nothing in the suggested formula for
definition of an aggressor state which
could prevent this country from adj
herring to it without departing from
its traditional policy Of not entering
into foreign entanglements Of . po-
litical nature. This Is purely juri-
dical matter and one which demands
prompt solution, II the peace OF the
American continent Is to b founded
on solid bases.
(copyf1shs, 1eSeJ