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SIR MAURICE HANKEY reminded the Committee of Imperial Defence that one of the reasons that had led the Committee to recommend the rejection of the Geneva Protocol (notwithstanding that Representatives of the late Government had taken an important part in drawing it up at Geneva) had been its provision for working out plans for economic coercion and for ascertaining in advance the amount of force to be placed at the disposal of the League "for sanctions (C.I.D. Paper 559-B. paragraph 109 (1)). The Committee of Imperial Defence had seen in these provisions (Articles 12 and 13 of the Geneva Protocol) a furtherance of the scheme, desired by the French Government ever since the Peace Conference, for a League General Staff to draw up plans for its forces (ibid., paragraph 58), a scheme which the British Government had always opposed. If the Committee of Imperial Defence still held this view, they ought to be on their guard against any step which might lead by successive stages to the same end-first, the sending of information on armament expenditure to the League; then a demand for a Commission to examine and report on the information, and, finally, for its development into something resembling a General Staff.
LORD BEATTY pointed out that paragraph 2 of Article 3 provided for a statement of expenditure on Naval Armaments. A difficulty arose in this connec- tion, viz., that, though the Navy was one Imperial unit, the expenditure on the Navy was in part borne by the Governments of the various Dominions.
SIR SAMUEL HOARE expressed the view that, whatever reservations we might make, there would always be a dangerous tendency for a Commission, analogous to the Mandates Commission, to be set up at Geneva to examine the statement of expenditure.
THE PRIME MINISTER pointed out that the Committee of Imperial Defence had agreed at its 138th meeting held on the 12th May, 1921, that the informa- tion as to scales of armaments and programmes of construction to be given to the League of Nations should be the same as is given to Parliament (viz., estimates and returns laid on the Table), and that, so long as some of the principal Naval and Military Powers remain outside the League of Nations, the difficulties of giving more information than this are manifest." He felt convinced that paragraph 2 of Article 3 should be struck out of the draft Treaty.
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LORD CECIL asked that he should be allowed a certain amount of liberty on this point. It was not true to say that other Powers broke their agreements without concern. What the Representatives of these Powers stated quite openly was that they were only bound by the exact terms of the Agreement which they had accepted, and that they did not understand such phrases as the intention of the Treaty the spirit of the Treaty.' He still thought that the provisions contained in para- graph 2 of Article 3 were desirable, especially with regard to foreign countries, as it would force them to show what steps they were taking in regard to armaments, and would thus give the opposition parties in these countries an opportunity of keeping their Governments to their pledges.
SIR AUSTEN CHAMBERLAIN pointed out that so long as coercive measures were in force his experience had been that the Opposition Parties remained silent. For example, so long as the Inter-Allied Commission of Control was in Berlin the Opposition in Germany had been silent in regard to military matters, but once the Control Commission had been removed, the Opposition shewed itself keen to ensure that the Reichswehr was not allowed to exceed its proper limitations, and, for the first time, an open Inquiry was conducted into scandals in connection with the Reichswehr. He thought, therefore, that paragraph 2 of Article 3 could be dropped as the first paragraph of that Article gave all the powers that were necessary.
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LORD BEATTY drew attention to the wording of Articles 2, 3 and 4, which contained such phrases as with the concurrence of the Council of the League of Nations, communicate to the Secretary-General of the League of Nations. He suggested that these references to the League of Nations might be changed to High Contracting Parties, since the United States of America might object to them.
LORD CECIL suggested that, if the Americans raised any objection, suitable alterations in wording could be effected later on.
SIR LAMING WORTHINGTON-EVANS drew attention to Article 7, which provided for a limitation of the aggregate expenditure on land armaments.
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suggested that the tendency would be to put the figure so high as to defeat the object of this provision.
LORD CECIL pointed out that this Article had been included on the suggestion of the representative of the War Office on his Committee. He did not attach any great importance to it and was quite willing for the Article to be deleted.
SIR LAMING WORTHINGTON-EVANS pointed out that if Article 7 was deleted a consequential alteration would have to be made in Article 13, involving the deletion of the words or is incurring expenditure on land armaments in excess of the figures set out in Table 1 of Annex I.
MR. BRIDGEMAN suggested that the words at once in the sixth line of Article 13 should be deleted, and enquired whether the provision at the end of the second paragraph of Article 13, namely, that it will join in such action as may be deemed wise and effectual to safeguard the peace of nations," required a unanimous decision before being put into effect.
LORD CECIL pointed out that we were bound to take action of this kind under Article 11 of the Covenant, whereas the United States of America was not so bound. If this provision remained in the Convention the United States would also be under- taking the obligations which already rested on us. He was of opinion that unanimity was implied in the wording of the Convention.
CONCLUSION.
THE COMMITTEE OF IMPERIAL DEFENCE agreed-
To approve the draft Convention for the limitation of Naval, Military and Air Armaments (C.I.D. Paper No. 776-B) as the basis for the instructions of the British representatives at the forthcoming meetings of the Preparatory Commis- sion at Geneva, subject to the following amendments:-
(a) Paragraph 3 (2) to be omitted.
(b.) Paragraph 7 to be excluded.
(c) Paragraph 13, Lines 4 and 5, omit the words or his incurring expenditure on land armaments in excess of the figures set out in Table 1 of Annex 1." (d.) Line 6, omit the words at once.
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And subject to the understanding that the British Delegates will oppose any proposal for the creation of a special League Commission or Staff for the purpose of examining, analysing or reporting on the information to be furnished under the provisions of the Draft Convention.
(B.) Convention for the Control of Private Manufacture of Arms, Ammunition and Implements of War.
(C.I.D. Paper No. 774-B.)
(Previous Reference: C.I.D. Minutes of the 218th Meeting, Minute 1.)
LORD CECIL explained that he did not realise that this matter would be A draft brought up for consideration at the forthcoming meeting at Geneva. Convention prepared by the Service Departments had been considered at the last meeting of his Sub-Committee. From this draft Convention, however, had been omitted the provisions in the draft prepared by the League Committee, which were really the whole substance of the Convention. The Board of Trade and Home Office representatives on his Sub-Committee had made certain suggestions which appeared to give prospects of a solution of this question. At the present moment, therefore, he had no definite proposal to put forward. He suggested that the Cabinet might delegate authority in regard to this Convention to the Sub-Committee which had been dealing with the matter, since not much time was available before he would have to leave for Geneva.
THE PRIME MINISTER considered that the Convention ought to be examined by the Committee of Imperial Defence before being put forward at Geneva.
LORD CECIL suggested that it would be advisable, if such a course were possible, for consideration of the Convention at Geneva to be postponed until an
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