1937-11-01 — Page 22

THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 1987.

Even with

HALF A LEAGUE

"O

F course the Longue is Anished." That is a remark which, in slightly varied forms,

I hear hundreds of times a year,

Do not bellove a word of it. The League' is not finished. The League is not dead, The League is very much alive:

Certainly it la going through a- time of dimeulty and depres- alon. But the sap still runs. You have only to watch a session of the Councit or of the Assembly to be quite sure of that.

The other day Señor Quevedo, of Ecuador, taking the chair tem- porarily while Señor Negrin spoke on the Mediterranean question, referred to the "creative force of international collaboration."

That force la still there. It may not be creating very much at the moment. But a tree is still alive, even in a season when It bears Hittle fruit. The frult will come.

The League then lives. And it is Important to realise that it dom live, and not merely exist. Because it is a living organism it changes, It evolves, it adapta itself to altered circumstance and altered environ- ment.

ET us Ave Just where, not in theory but in fact, we stand to-day.

The basic idea of the League na an instrument for the pre- vention of aggression was this,

Against nny

the aggressor Lengue would be able to mobi-

se the irresistible force of

world, imposing united

both economic and millory Sanctions O strong that they would be Irresistible. The odd against the aggressor would be so over- whelming that no one would dare commit qgression.

For this two things essential. First, that the forces at the disposal of the League

were

would be overpoweringly stronn. Second, that their employment would be quite certain.

The plun is admirable, Το 11 sooner or later we must return. But at the moment it is 1111-

The conditions workable.

for Its working do not exist. That is an unpleasant fact. But 11 ta none the less a fact.

There are seven great Powers in the world-and, necessarily, in the imposing of Sanctions, whether economic or milliary, the part played by the great Powers la the really decisive factor. But of the seven great Powers only three-Britain, France and Russia are functioning members of the League.

G

ERMANY, Italy, Japan and the United States ure outalde. Not one of them could be counted on-to-take- part in any kind of League action against an aggressor. Three of them would be likely enough to throw their weight nelively on the other side.

At the most the League Powers could only be a sort of Triple

-To-day's Thought

"Is known by the name of perseverance in a pood cause, and of obstinacy in ₫ bad one.

-STERNE.

JUST

it will go ONWARDS

by

W. N. Ewer

Alliance against an isolated aggressor. At the tenst they would be # Triple Alliance against another alliance. That situation is more like the old Balance of Power than like any- thing of which Wilson dreamed or which the drafters of the Cove- nant designed,

But what of the smaller Powers of the other ty odd League members? Do they not form a solid contingent, loyal to the the Covenant, League and to which. with the three Great Powers of the League, can still pro- vide

the strength necessary to dent with any aggression?

Do not let us fool ourselves, The answer, to-day, is "No."

smaller Powers

went

The through a chastening experience In the Abysslaian affair. They co- operated loyally (with only three exceptions) In the Imposition of Sanctions-Bome of them at a considerable economie orice. And Banctions failed to achieve their object.

B

UT it was not the fact

of failure which brought

a revulsion of feeling.

It was the manner of the fallure.

It was the whole sordid business of the Hoare-Laval episode.

That convinced the small Powers almost without exception that the Big Powers were not honest about the League that they were trying to use it (and its smaller mem- bers) us instruments of their own policy: that if it suited them they would call on the League and the Ittle Powers to net: that if I did not, they would quite cheerfully distionour their obligations, stop the League acting, and do a deal with an aggressor.

The small Powers were con- vinced that the League afforded them no special protection. And they were convinced that it and they were in grave danger of being used simply as instruments of policy in the rivalries of the Bir Power and Big Power groups..

So they have begun quickly and armly to remove themselves from that danger."

T

HEY have not left the League. They value it highly for all sorts of purposes. But they have let it be known, in one way or other, that it is exceedingly unlikely that they would again join in any coer- cive action taken by the League against an aggressor.

The doctrine of neutrality has, for the great majority of the smaller League' States, replaced

They are Jugoslavia, Turkey, Rumania, Greece. Without them, whatever her sympathies, Bulgaria would not move. Albania, and probably Hungary, would favour the aggressor, or be afraid.

Poland in the apostle of neu irality.

The three Baltic States-Estonia. Latvia, Lithuania-could hardly be expected to rush in where all the others feared to tread.

What does that leave on all the Continent to provide the "League resistance to that ag- gression?

Fmnce, Czechoslovakia and the Soviet Union-who are not the League but an alliance.

There it is. As things are at the present time, Art. XVI of the Cove- nant is a dead loller. The League has lost its powers of coercion." It

is to-day-apart from its multifarious and mously valuable subsidiary activities-- body for con- kultation, for conciliation. for trying to smooth out quarrels and avoid

Newly appointed President at the League Assembly-the Aga Khan, roligious hood of

many millions of Moslems.

the doctrine of collective action. They are seeking security along a new path. Whether they are riglil or wrong, wise or unwise, matters. little. The point is that, at the moment, this is their decision.

Let us take a hypothetical case. Suppose an aggression of some kind by Germany ngainst Aus- tri, and an appeal to the League to take action under Article 10. How many European States would respond?

•

слог-

wars

and ruptures. But it is not a body for collective action against an aggressor.

We have to start agata from there. The situation

is fairly well recognised

as the Inquiries and reports of the "Committee on tho Application of the Prin- ciples of the Covenant show.

14

MUTINY CANADIAN

AT INVERGORDON

For the first time, the events leading up to the naval mutiny at Invergordon in 1931, and some of the reasons why it occurred, have been revealed to the public.

A full account of the "nfair," in- cluding a criticism of the Admiralty, is contained in a new hook entitled The Muliny at Invergordon," by Lieut.-Commander K. Edwards, R.N.

(ret.).

The purpose of this book is not to give prominence to an unhappy chapter in the Royal Navy's history, but rather to indicate the underlying causes which made the mutiny possi- ble, and tp show how the process of recovery began and continued until the

present healthy state of morale in the Fleet was reached.

According to the author, there were three prime factors which caused a mutiny the ships of the Atlantic Fleet at Invergordon white the rest of the Navy in other ports remained

quicice incredible administrative

(1)

muddling

STEAMSHIPS HOTELS

PACIFIC

RAILWAYS-EXPRESS

TO MANILA-

EMPRESS OF RUSSIA

at 5

p.m.,

Nov. 4.

Sailings via HONOLULU

EMPRESS OF JAPAN EMPRESS OF CANADA

..at Noon Nov. 20th

......al Nusa Deo. 24th

DIRECT TO VANCOUVER (from Yokohama);

EMPRESS OF RUSSIA leaves Hongkong EMPRESS OF ASIA leaves Hongkong

...........Nov. 12th .Dec. 19th

17 Days HONGKONG to VANCOUVER

Air-condlifoned equipment carried on Trans-Continental Trains. Frequent Canadian Pacifo Allantlo saliings from Afontreal and Quebec, down the smooth St. Lawrence Braway, to Europe.

Information and rates from

Union

Flect were which the men of that Building

were kept in ignorance of the cuts in pay that were to be imposed

anu

of

the need for them.

(2) The failure of the Board of Ad- miralty to maintain the stand of Beatty's Board against sequitable treatment of the older long-service,

But what's to do about It? It is one of the big-nen. gest problems which, the League has to face.

OUGHLY, there Rre

(3) The presence of some dis- affected men, linked with Communist of organisations, among the crews that Fleet,

IDEA PICKED UP IN GERMANY two schools of thought. There are those who Although a certain amount of con- believe that the Leaguejecture enters into the argument, it cannot again become-efféc. is suggested that a good deal of tive for the prevention of damage was done to the morale dur- aggression unless its mein-ins the visit paid by HM. cruisers bership la universal or anyTMTM

Norfolk and Dorsetshire to Germany way includes all the Big Powers; and would be pre- pared to modify the obliga- tlons of membership In order to get "universality."

There

those

who would prefer to leave the

arc

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the summer of 1931, when Kiel was a hotbed of Communist

munist agitation. There are sailors--In particular two of them who were leaders at Invergordon-came in con- were subsequently ring- tact with subversive elements shore, and the author argues the "the whole idca

and "renegade" states outside,mutiny in the British Navy which

planning of

and try to lead the present members back to full acceptance of full responsi- bility.

41

'The first school" Lord Cranborne sums up in a report to the Committee would declare that it is better to have an unlimited League with limited powers than a limited Lengue with , unlimited powers. To characterise the second, the saying of Mr. Litvinov may be re- 'called: Better a League without universallty than without League principles."

Which line will be followed? Or is there some intermediate line?"

univerzality

That is hard to say. The trend nt the moment seems to favour the universalists." But everyone is thinking seriously, conscious of the importance of the real dim- culty of the problem. Everyone In the North, West and Centre, walking warily, well aware of the you have now a whole group of dangers of creating too violently States which has definitely do--antagonistic parties within the cided on a policy of neutrality- Norway, Sweden, Denmark. Fin- land, Belgium, Holland, Switzer- land.

Two other Western States must be counted out, Spain because of her own troubles, Portugal because she would sympathise with Ger- many.

A FEW WORDS

The opening of the after-dinner speceli-making season is not marked

in any olmanne, but it follows hard

"Mr.

and

on grouse and partridge shooting.

Chairman, Ladles Gentlemen; I rise to say a few words The speaker steals a sur-

Britons' Postprandial

Penance

the

•

one Then the third kind.

League itself.

Because everyone in very firmly agreed on one thing. The League must continue. "I is easy to criticise," .said Señor Quevedo. "But it would not be CRSY to replace."

we

WIS

flest to take place on the uuspicious occasion, was picked up in Germany... during the visit to

Kiel."

facts about the udmtalstrative The blunders have not previously been known publicly. Lieutenant Com- marder Edwards details them most clearly and carefully. In outline,

thus:

im

events ernment decided to

The

pose, cuts in pay.

The Admiralty signalled to ali Commanders-in-Chief a message plaining the position.

<x~

The Commander-in-Chlef of the Atlantly Fleet was suddenly taken to hospital ill and the signat remained in the office of his flagship, the Nelson, unknown to Rear Admiral Tomkinson H.M.S. Hood, on whom the com- mand temporarily devolved,

Neither the officials at the Ad- miralty nor the staff oflicers in thei fleet flagship thought of advising Tomidinson of the signal

The signat was followed by a letter from the Admirnity explaining the necessity for the cuts and the nature of them: This too-went-to-the-fleet- flagship, but the Admiralty ofcials again never thought of sending a copy to the Acting Commander-la-Chief In the Hood, though he would have to deal with the situation.

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23

128

ACROSE

14

ד!

10

1′′

品

120

14

15

✔

1 A marriage of convenience?

(two words, 0, 0). 8 Cast lime to produce this flower. A little devil, though his gun's gone wrong, to issue chal- lenge.

0

11 What the tinker said? 12 Divide il in halves, and take the second half from this little word, then add the other half

13 Draw. Seemingly a good way

for plety,

pull a leg. to pul 16 Spoil.

་

20 You'll find the chill taken off your beer when you reach the dog.

policeman

6 The old boys certainly require

ocebu rain togs.

7 Free from interference, I turned

punler.

10 To go up and to go down--that's

the chaps you want. 14 Strength.

15 This fish is as much at home above the water as under it.

18 Concerning a drink in Fleet

Street,

20 Gives voice,

21 Gives consideration to authors'

workrooms.

22 A stable niteration.

28 Here was a wound,

27 What about it?

Saturday's Belution.

¡U NABO LIBHEDE MOSLGIQUED BLUR

A RRACKSPRAMETODP

A = ÚOUNTRY#RGE" O ORNGHE PAERO A BAZVOD&T=0:44 D DUBLIN TEFLATE D COBLEWENGESAF MILDLYABHOM)

THE HUMAN ELEMENT Lieutenant Commander Edwards In the East, the States of the brought back to a sense of reality by of the vital letter had not been sent says that the thought that a duplicate Balkan Entente incline more and the sudden noise. This is an excel-by the Admiralty to Rear Admiral more to neutrality between the lent principle.

Tomkinsun "was never entertained" Powers.

In one or two places aboard, where by the staff in the Nelson. It may be It is practically certain that they would decline action.maybe one would not expect such

a contingency enlightenment, would-be orators are Suested that "such treated as a public danger and kept should have appeared possible to the staff of the absent Commander-in- well in their place.

Chief: Recently, the explorer, Dr. Victor

Here was an instance, will serious leiser, was feasted by a native king in Samoa. At the conclusion of the consequences, of fallure of the human! meal a native rose to pay a glowing element, both at the Admiralty and verbal tribute, on behalf of the king, in the Fleet, to rise superior to the

machine. to the visitor. bear of her young, as try to stup him

Dr. Heiser.

whose Samoan Is not So for as concerns the Civil Service in full spate,

too good, wondered what kind of a element perhaps the explumtion is to 16 Sp Getting It Over

show he could put up in reply. Hisbe found in the disclosure by Lieut-17 Take d'ee, (anag): mind was set at rest when, as he was tant-Commander Edwards that at the 10 Wee lass in fearless guise. about to rise, the king laid a hand time of the crisis the three senior Sen 21 A good position. The second kind is that rare sort on his arm said "Don't get up. I Lords were all away on leave. The 23 Image. reptilous glance at his notes. His

who rises without hurry or reluctance have provided an orator for you. In very men who might have been ex-24 Mild 11 (two words, 2, 3). and speaks briefly and to the point. Samoa

don't believe, public-pected to think "outside the machine" 25 In the cricket feld, but don't uudlence, after the burl of energy

He is guided in this course by senti- speaking should be Indulged in

do it by were not on the spot. with which they clapped Lily

pre penance for the dinner, or the dinner ments similar to those of his listenera, amateurs.** Himinary throat-clearing, sink deeper a mild narcoile in

Inchientally it may be suggested 20 Shaters would surely avold a preparation for He has caten and drunk and wants

int n leuve system which denudes

pond with water at 33 degrees into, their chairs,

Hlatening

this, Sco? speeches. The

the Admiralty at three-flüths of fla to get home. But though his molives Made to Order They are in a state of paradisla? peeches are a penance, I am sure, ore materialistle, he deserves credit We have a kind of vicarious orator professional chiefs at one time needs contentment; they have dined and

Obviously, if one wished to laten for results,

revision. In Britain. Should you ever be ex- wined; blue smoke curls slowly up« 10 a speaker who could fench

As things were, both ofleers and ward from the men's cigars. Their something, immediately after a heavy not know whether more to pity or le pected to speak in public, you will

ret in

men were left without any official 30 They're beneath a excellently- digestive processes take a deliberate meal would not be the moment one blame him. Usually he

been written speech for the occasion for a news of the cuts until the plan of be called upon to speak, quite by But modest guinea. All you need to do That is only one of the criticisms course to the drowsy accompaniment would choose. No one really

mutiny was already well under way. of the speaker's valec.

Heves that a man makes his best priso; maybe he has no notea and to supply a few details, so that, You can see

of the speeches after consuming six coure's may not even have spoken before it for example, you won't give a speech which are brought against the Ad- the ritual

and a bottle of champagne,

his life. after-dinner speech, somewhere

Intended for a surreallat audience to mirally in this work. Another is that Britain, every night. between, say, That is why the tendency is towards He rises slowly, his manner saying a gathering of sanitary engineers; certain officers suffered unjustly after September and May. It is a British shortening them and thus reducing as loudly as words that he would and aimest while you wait an effusion the whole affair was over. institution, like tea-drinking and a the severity of the penance, After- lowed in a hole in the earth,

like nothing better than to be awal- is created for you.

When

MAN SAVED BY OFFICER : hearty breakfast; one of those things dinner speakers who habitually keep he at last opens his mouth gurgling construction and impeccable

It is usually a model of grammatic offered by the British genius for the on their feel a long time, soon find sounds like the dialect of an obscure ment, but, necessarily, it lacks

senti- While the book describes some rest of the world to copy, and for they do not get so many invitations African tribe emerge,

in-extraordinary occurrences in the Fleet which one is not sure whether to

and strong dividuality.

at Invergordon, and states that in one curce or bless the donor.

men blench,

Broadcasting has added a new ship young ordinary seamen (them on the ebb, and there was no time of one of his men. The realisation There are, broadly, three kinds of I suspect that the origin of the

It is only rarely that much an un-menage after-dinner speeches, selves unaffected by the pay cuts) to be lost if the life of the man was of this fact led to an abrupt revulsion atter-dinner speech lles in the fact after-dinner speakers. To the prac- fortunate says anything translatable and I feel the microphone should indulged in sheer hooliganism, to the to bo.anved. On the quarterdeck of of feeling on the lower deck of that that we cannot bring ourselves to tised eye their manner of rising, gives into English. His one good point is never be brought to the dinner-table extent of destroying Allings, and H.M.S. York stood the executive ship and throughout the next officer of the ship-Commander two days when mutiny was raging all the the them away immediately. First, and that he cannot, ini gather with others merely for

nature of The speech that can be tolerated by offering insults and threats onlcers, purpose of eating. We have to give mest pestlectiol, is the man who, things,

Something a fly people who have wined and there are, at the same time, some Coppinger-watching with some mis- round them, they remained almost the feast a semblance of seriousness at the appropriate moment, springs bound to give way soon.

dined bores to tears millions who happier passages,

giving the molay liberty men climb-entirely loyal." by attaching a kind of lecture to it. to his feet like a tiger at his prey. Many people conalder that "meo-

For instance, there is the story of ing out of the boats and up the gong- Taken all in all, this book is one The audience at the table havo H.M.S. York. Then the dinner appears quite in- His eyes are alight, and he sees his sures ohould be taken into have done neither.

Plans had been dis way. He saw the man fall overboard, that should be read, if only that it

moment's hesitation he clears the air concerning the Inver cidental. If we can repeat only the audience merely as objects to be in- of after-dinner speeches. Nowadays champagne and cigars as anaesthetics. cussed at # mass meeting on shore and without vaguest outlines of the speakers' re-

pressed,

time-limit is not uncommon, but, The audience in front of a loud- on the night of Monday, September dived overboard to his assistance, and gordon affair, and pays fully deserved marks, we need not blush when we lie has no compassion, no thought as in the case of international agret speaker have probably had neither. 14. for n general refusal of duty the supported the man until a boat came tribute to the spirit and the essential

down-tide the rescue.

loyalty of account next day for how we spent that these figures around film are ments, it is difficult to apply one Broadcasting after-dinner speeches following morning, and in due course

the Royal Navy. The the previous evening.

men, with feelings and a faculty of tions.

should be postponed at least until the men returned to their ships. "When the two sodden figures were volume could with advantage bo boredom thai may develop Into an At the Duke of York's" boys' television can show the audience the The liberty men were disembark-brought back to the ship the rowdylam trimmed of many needless repetitions, The Worst Moment

urge to homicido. He talks at great camp, after the annual big dinner, a remains of the feast on the table. ing from the boats alongside II.M.S. of the liberty men changed to a cheer but the author has done his world, on for their commander. There was so the whole, well notwithstanding the length. All his life ho has longed bomb la exploded whenever napeaker Then they will understand, how It York, when one of the men return- This theory disposes of the ques- for such opportunities 'ns this, and oxceeds the three-minuito limit. The is the speaker escapes with his life, ing from the shore fell over board. doubt that by his prompt action Com-debatable nature of some of his state-

D. G. J. tion of whether the speeches aro n one might as well attempt to rob a offender is not Injured, but he is

The tide was sluteing past the ship mander Coppinger had saved the life ments.

In

to dinners.

Inst long.

One does

find you can

מםג!

10

(two words, 0, 5). DOWN

1 Takes a dagger with inward

resentment

2 Undeveloped possible Derby

winner.

3. Fully equipped with only three

teeth.

4 It's up to me to make it.

Pullers,..

HI NAMAN POLEMIOF

COUSING DOMT DE B IDNAVI INGADE A DEN MI NËNËES NL BENEDICTINI