1937-11-01 — Page 34

10

THE HONGKONG

TELEGRAPH.

MONDAY, NOVEMBER

1937.

Even with

HALF A LEAGUE,

66

O

F course the League is That is a Anished."

remark which, in alightly 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 is going through a time of difficulty and depres- slon. But the sap still runs. You have only to watch a session of the Counell or of the Assembly to be quite sure of that.

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

That force is still there. It may not be creating very much at the moment. But a tree is still alive, even in a reason when it heats ittle fruit. The fruit will come.

The League then lives. And it is Important to realise that it does live, and not merely exist. Because it is a living organism i changes. It evolves, it adapts itself to altered clrcumstance and altered environ. 'ment.

L

ET us see just where, not in theory but in fact, we stand to-day.

The basic iden of the League instrument for the pre- As an vention of aggression was this.

aggressor the Against any Leaguo would be able to mobi 1lse the irresistible force of a Imposing both united world,

econoinic and military Sanctions co strong that they would be Irresistible. The odds against the aggressor would be so over- whelming that no unc would dare commit aggression.

For

two things were essential. First, that the forces at

thts

the disposal at the

League

strong.

would be overpowernoyment

Second, that their

would be quite certain.

The plan is admirable. To t sooner or later we must return, But at the moment it 19 workable.

The conditions

its working do not exist.

JE

an unpleasant fact.

1/12-

for

That But L

is none the less a fact.

There are seven great Powers In the world-and, necessarily, in the imposing of Sanctions, whether economic or military, the part played by the great Powers is BIL the really decisive factor.

of the reven great Powers only three-Britain, France and Russla

functioning members of

the League.

ERMANY, Italy. Japan and the United States are outside. Not one of them could be counted on to take part in any kind of League notion against an aggressor. Three of them would be likely enough to throw their weight actively on the other alde,

At the most the League Powera 'could only be a sort of Triple

To-day's Thought------ 'Tis known by the name of perseverance in a good cause, and of obsituacy in a

-STERNE. bad one.

୧୧

it will go

ONWARDS

by

W. N. Ewer

8ג1

Alliance

against

isolatect ar nggressor.

they At the least would

Triple Aillance That against another alliance. situation is more like the old Balance of Power than like any- thing of

of which Wilson dreamed or which the drafters of the Cove- nant designed,

But what of the smaller Powers of the other fly odd League members? Do they not form kolid contingent, loyal to the League and to the

Covenant,

which, with the three Great Powers of the League, can still pro- vide the strength necessary to deal with any aggression?

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

went

The emailer Powers through a chastening experience In the Abyssinian affair. "They co- operated loyally with only three exceptions) in the imposition of Sanctions--some of them at a considerable economic sacrifice. And Sunctions falled to achieve their object.

UT I Was not the fact

Bo

of fallure which brought

a revulsion of feciing.

It was the manner of the fallure. It was the whole serdid 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- bera) as instruments of their own policy: that if it suited them they would call on the League and the Little Powers to act: that if it did not, they would quite cheerfully dishonour

our their obligations, atop the League acting, and do a deal with an aggressor.

con-

The small Powers were 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 Big Power and Ble Power groups.

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

*THEY have not left the League. They value it highly for all sorts of purposes, Hut 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,

7

The doctrine of neutrality has, for the great majority of the smaller Longue Sintes, replaced

They are Jugoslavia, Turkoy; Rumania, Greece. Without thom, whatever hor sympathies, Bulgaria would 1101 move. Albania, and probably Hungary, would favour the aggressor, or bo afraid.

Poland is the apostle of neu- trality.

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

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

What does that leave on all pubile, the Continent to provide the A full account of the "affair," in- "League

"realstance to that ag-eluding a criticism of the Admiralty, Bression?

Franac, Czechoslovakia and

Is contained in a new book entitled the "The Mutiny at Invergordon," by

STEAMSHIPS-

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EMPRESS OF RUSSIA

.at 5 p.m., Nov. 4.

Sailings via HONOLULU

EMPRESS OF JAPAN EMPRESS OF CANADA

.at Noon Nov. 26th .at Noon Dec. 24th

Soviet Union-who are not the Lieut.-Commander K. Edwards, R.N. DIRECT TO VANCOUVER (from Yokohama)!

League but an alliance.

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

Nowly appointed President of the League Assembly-the Aga Khan, religious hoad of many millions of Moilems.

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

Let us take a hypothetical case.

of Suppose an aggression KOINO kind by Germany agains! Aus- ttia, and an appeal to the League to take action under Article 10. How many European States would respond?

In the North, West and Centre. you have now a whole group of States which has definitely de- elded 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.

In the East, the States of the Balkan Entente incline mere and more to neutrality between the Powers. It is practically certain that they would decline action.

JUST A FEW WORDS

The opening of the

ofter-dinner

specch-making season is not marked

In any almanac, but it follows ird

on grouse and partridge shooting.

***Mr.

Chairman, Ladles ad Gentlemen; I rise to say a few words

"The speaker steals a sur-

reptitious glance at his

notes. His

audience, after the burst of energy

Britons' Postprandial Penance

*

•

bear of her young, as try to stop him in full spate. Getting It Over

been

and

+

in to-day-apart from its multifariou and enor- mously valuabio subsidiary activilles- body for con sultation, for conciliation. for trying to smooth out quarrels and avold wara and ruptures. But it is not body for collective action against an aggressor.

|

(ret.).

The purpose of this book is not to unhappy prominence to DR give chapter in the Royal Navy's history, but rather to indicate the underlying causes which made the mutiny possi- ble, and to show how the process of recovery began and continued until the present healthy state of morale la the Fleet was reached.

According to the author, there were three prime factors which caused a mutley In the ships of the Atlantic Fleet at Invergordon, while the rest of the Navy in other ports remained quiescent:

We have to start again (1) The Incredible administrative,

The situation muddling by which the men of that from there.

is fairly well recognised-Ficct were kept in ignorance of the cuts in pay that were to be imposed and of the need for them.

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

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

R

QUGHLY,

thore arc

two schools of thought. There are those who

who

(2) The fallure of the Board of Ad- mtrally to maintain the stand of Beatty's Board against inequitable treatment. of the older long-service men.

(3) The presence of some dis- affected men, linked with Communist organisations among the crews of thit Fliset K

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21 Fol. 18 Feb,

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IDEA PICKED UP IN GERMANY

Although a certain amount of con- believe that the Lenguejecture enters Into the argument, It cannot again become effec- is suggested that a good deal of tive for the prevention of damage was done to the morale dur- ing the visit paid by 11.M. cruisers aggression unless its mem- beralilp is universal or any-Norfolk and Dorsetshire to Germany way includes all the Big in the summer of 1931, when Kiel was

hotbed of

of Communist agitation. Powers; and would be pre- pared to modify the obliga-of them who were subsequently ring- There are saliors-in particular two tions of membership lenders at Invergordon-came in con- order to сес universality." tact with subversive elements

There are those who would prefer to leave the shore, and the author argues the "the renegade states outside.mutiny in the British Navy which and try to lead the present Was to take place on the first members back to full

auspielous occasion, was picked up in acceptance of full responsi Germany

during the visit to Kiel,

The facts about the administrative blunders have not previously been (known publicly. Lieutenant Com- niander Edwards details them most carefully. In outline, clearly and events happened thus:

The Government declded to im- pose cuts in pay.

billy.

The first school" Lord Cranborne sums up in a report to

the Committee "would declare that it is beller to have an unlimited League with limited powers than a limited League with unlimited powers. To characterise the second, the saying of Mr. Litvinov may be re-

called: Better a League without universality than universality -without League principles.* **

Which line wit be followed? Or is there some intermediate Ilne?

That is hard to say. The trend at the moment seems to favour the "universalists." But everyone is thinking seriously, conscious of the importance of the real diffi- culty of the problem. Everyone is walking warily, well aware of the dangers of creating too violently antagonistic parties within the League itself.

Because everyone is very firmly agreed on one thing. The League must continuo. "It is easy to criticize." said. Señor Quevedo. 'But it would not be easy to *replac.."

brought back to a sense of reality by the sudden noise. This is an excel lent principle.

Idea whole

and planning

of

The Admirally signgled to all Commanders-in-Chief u message ex- platning the position.

The Commander-in-Chiet of the Alla:lle Fleet was suddenly taken to hespitul it and the signal remained in the office of his flagship, the Nelson, unknown to Rear Admiral Tomkinson in' II.M.S. Hood, on whom the com- mand temporarily devolved.

Neither the-pilicials at the Ad- miralty nor the staff officers in the fect flagship thought of advising. Tomkinson of the signal

The signal was followed by a létter from the Admiralty explaining the necessity for the cuts and the nature of them. This too went to the feet flagship, but the Admiralty officials again never thought of sending a copy to the Acting Commander-in-Chief in the Hood, though he would have to deal with the situation.

THE HUMAN ELEMENT

Edwards Lieutenant Commander says that the thought that a duplicate of the vital letter had not been sent by the Admiralty to Rear Admiral. Tomkinson "was never entertained" In one or two places aboard, where

contingency maybe one would not expect such by the staff in the Nelson. It may be

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

Recently, the explorer, Dr. Victor

Chief

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(26

127

237

120

ACROSS

1 A marriage of

(two words, 6, 5).

convenience?

B Cast line to produce this flower. 9 A le devil, though his gun's

gone wrong, lo issue lenge.

11 What the tinker said?

chal-

12 Divide. It in halves, and take the Becond half from this little word, then add the other half for picty.

13 Draw. Seemingly a good way

to pull a leg. 10 Spoll.

10 Wee lass in fearless galse, 17 Take o'er: (anag.). 21 A good position. 23 Image.

д

polleernun

1 Takes dogger wki inward

resentment.

2 Undeveloped

winner.

possible Derby

0 The old boys certainly require

occan rain logs.

7 Free from Interference, I turned

-punter.

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

the chap you want. 14 Strength.

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

10 Concerning a drink in. Fleet

Street.

20 Gives volco.

21 Gives consideration to authors'

workrooms,

22 A stable alteration.

20 Here was a wound.

27 What about it?

Saturday's Bolation.

¡U NA BOLISHED UE GOLIUS DABLUR ARRACKPRAMA00 MARZO ISEM 18 BEL AUOUNTRY RATH JO ORNOH FARRU ARAMV. 8 ETWCASE DUBLIN TSLATER

I

BMENLAWENDEMAN MILDLYER=G=FLEA M'ARABPOLEMIO & O OUB IN DEM DE B I DO NAVIINGATE A DENM NENSED U NBENEDICTINE

99 Heiser, was feasted by a native king Mere was an instance, with serious in Samoa. At the conclusion of the consequences, of fallure of the human meal a native rose to pay a glowing clement, both at the Admiralty and verbal tribute,

on behalf of the king, the Fleet, to rise superior to the

machine. to the visitor.

So far as conecrus the Civil Service Dr. Helser, whose Samoan is not! too good, wondered what kind of a element perhaps the explanation is to show he could put up in reply. His be found in the disclosure by Lieut- mind was set at rest when, as he was ant-Commander Edwards that at the about to rise, the king laid a hand time of the crisis the three senior Seu The second kind is that rare sort on his arm said "Don't get up. ILords were all away on leave. The

24 Mild 11 (Lavo words, 2, 3), who rises without hurry or reluctance have provided an orator for you. In very men who might have been ex-

25 In the cricket field, but don't' don't belleve public-pected to think "outside the machine“ and speaks briefly and to the point. Samon we

do it. He is guided in this course by senti- speaking should be indulged in by were not on the spot.

Incidentally it may be suggested 28 Skaters would surely avoid a with which they clapped his pre- penance for the dinner, or the dinner me has eaten and drunk and wants

hls Hateners. amateura.”

pond with water at 33 degrees ments similar to those

that leave system which denudes

this. See?. liminary throat-clearing, dink deeper a mild narcotic in preparation for

The Admiralty of three-fifths of lis into their chairs.

Ilstening to the speeches, The to get home. But though his motives Made to Order

your beer when you reach the We have a kind of vicarious orator professional chiefs at one time needs 28 You'll find the chil taken off

revision,

dog. They are in a state of paradialat speeches are a penance, I am sure, are materiallalle, he deserves credit

Obviously, if one wished to listen for results. andl

in Britain. Should you ever be ex

As things were, both officers and contentment; they have dined

Then the third kind. One does pected to speak in public, you will were left without any official 30. They're beneath wined; blue amoko curls slowly up- to a speaker who could teach one

get an excellently.

(two words, 6, 5). DOWN ward from the men's cigars. Their something, immediately after a heavy not know whether more to pity or to and you.

written aprech for the occasion for a news of the cuts until the plan of digestive processes take a deliberate meal would not be the moment one blame him. Usually he has

be- called upon to speak, quite by a modest gulnes. All you need to do mutiny was already well under way. course to the drowsy accompaniment would choose. No one really

that That is only one of the criticisms lieves that a man makes his best prise; maybe he has no notes

is to supply a few dolaile, so. of the speaker's voice.

the ritual of the speeches after consuming six courses may not even have spoken before in for example, you won't give a speech which are brought against the Ad- You com sco

his life..

Intended for a surrealist audience tomiralty in this work. Another is that in and a bottle of champagne.

lle rises slowly, his manner saying a gathering of sanitary engineers: certain officers suffered unjustly after after dinner. speech, somewhere Britain, every night between, say. That is why the tendency is towards

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

MAN SAVED BY OFFICER September and May. It is a British shortening them and thus reducing loudly as words that he would and almost while you wait an effusion the whole affair was over. Institution, like lea-drinking and a the severity of the penance. After- lowed in a hole in the earth. When

..14

It is usually a model of grammatic hearty breakfast; one of those things dinner speakers who habitually keep

While the book describes some offered by the British genius for the on their fest n, long time, scon find he, ut last opens his mouth gurgling construction and impeccable senti rest of the world to copy, and for they do not get to many invitations sounds like the dialect of an obscure ment, but, necessarily, it lacks in extraordinary occurrences in the Fleet

African tribe emerge, and strong dividuality,

at Invergordon, and slates that in one

on the ebb, and there was no time of one of his men. The realisation which one is not sure whether to to dinners.

men blench.

Broadcasting has added 'a new ahip. young ordinary teamen (them-

to be lost if the life of the man was of this fact led to an abrupt revulsion curse or bless the donor.

speeches, selves unaffected by the pay cuts) the There are, broadly, three kinds of It is only rarely that such an un-menace to after-dinner

and, throughout the next says anything translatable and I feel the

H.M.S. York stood the executive ship,... fortunain

microphone should indulged in sheer hooliganism, to the to be saved. On the quarterdeck of of feeling on the lower deck of that be brought to the dinner-table. extent of destroying fittings, and to tised eye thick manner of rising gives

mix-

round them, they remained almost of The

Coppinger-watching with some that we cannot bring ourselves gather with others merely for the them away immediately. First, and that he cannot, in the nature

who, things, Just long. Something is afty people who have wined and there are, at the same time, some

giving the nolay liberty men climb-entirely loyal."

Taken all in all, this book is one dined bores to tears millions who happier passages, purpose of eating. We have to give most pestilential, is the man,

For instance, there is the story of ing out of the boats and up the gang- the feast a semblance of seriousTICAR at the appropriate moment, springs bound in give way soon.

prey. Many people consider that "mea have done neither,

at the by attaching a kind of lecture to it. to his feet like a tiger at his

cussed at n

n mass meeting on shore and without a moment's hesitation he clears the air concerning the inver- Then the dinner appeurs quite in- lis eyes are alight, and he sees ils aures should bo tuken" in the matter cidental. If we can repeat only the audience merely as objects to be im- of atter-dinner speeches. Nowadays champagne and cigars as anaesthetica L.M.S. York. Plans had been dis- WAY. He saw the man fall overboard, that should be read, if only that, it a 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 gardon altair, and pays fully deserved loyalty of the Royal Navy, The vaguest outlines of the speakers' ro- pressed,

He has no compassion, no thought as in the case of international agree speaker have probably had neither. 14. for a general refusal of duty the supported the man until a boat came tribute to the spirit and the essenifal marks, we need not blush when we

"When the two sodden figures were volume could with advantage be account next day for how we spent that these figures around him

should be postponed at least until the men returned to their ships, of

boya television can show the audience the

"The liberty men were disembark brought back to the ship us rowdyism trimmed ef many needless repetitions, the previous evening.

of the liberty men changed to a cheer but the author has done his work, on York's At the "Duke,

Ing from the bonts alongside ILM.S. boredom that may develop into urge to homicide. He talks at great camp, after the annual big dinner, a remains of the feast on the table. length. All his life he has longed tomb is exploded.heneyor å speaker. Then they will understand how it York, when one of the men return for their commander, There was no the whole, well notwithstanding the ing from the shore fell over board. doubt that by his prompt action Com-debatable nature of some of his state- and exceeds the three-minute limit. The is the speaker escapes with his le D. Q. J.

The tide was alulcing past, the ship mander Coppinger had saved the life 'ments. This theory disposer of the ques--for such opportunities as this, ilon of whether the speeclies are n one might as well attempt to rob a offender is not injured, but he is

I suspect that the origin of

3. Fully equipped with only three

teeth.

4.It's up to me to make it. 5 Pullers:

J

akter-dinner speech lies in the fact offer-dinner speakers. To the pract Erigilans. Is one food point in ecch. that can be tolerated by offering insults and threats to offerofleer of the ship--Commander Ctwo days when mutiny was raging all

The Worst Moment

men, with feelings and faculty of tin this difficult to apply' sanc- Tiroadcasting' after-dinner speeches | following morning, and in due course down-ildo to the rescue,

aro

nit

ments.