GREAT BRITAIN'S COMMITMENTS
[To the Editor of THE SPECTATOR.] SIR,—In your editorial article in the April 19th issue you say that the essence of the Locamo Treaty is that, in the event of an attack by Germany on France or by France on Germany, " Britain and Italy would at once come to the defence of the party attacked." You add that " an armed occupation by Germany of the demilitarized zone would rank as an attack."
Is this quite correct ? The relevant Artich of the Treaty is Article 4. An examination of that Article will show that even a " flagrant " breach of Articles 42 and 43 of the Treaty of Versailles would not of itself involve immediate inter- vention on the part of the Guarantor Powers. They are not required to intervene unless and until they have satisfied themselves that certain conditions are fulfilled, viz_ (1) that the breach " constitutes an unprovoked act of aggression," and (2) that immediate action is necessary. It appears, there- fore, to be assumed that even in the case of a " flagrant " breach it is conceivable that Great Britain or Italy may consider that immediate intervention is not necessary ; otherwise there is no point in the qualifying formula. Thus, it would seem to be an over-statement to say that an armed occupation of the demilitarized zone would automatically involve immediate intervention, even if unaccompanied by an actual attack.
A further difficulty arises from the requirement that the breach must be shown to constitute an " unprovoked act of aggression." An armed occupation of the demilitarized zone might well be considered to constitute a threat of aggression. But it is not so easy to see how it could be said to amount of itself to an act of aggression, and if it does not, there is no provision in the Treaty for immediate intervention.
I do not know whether the provisions of Article 4 of the Treaty of Locarno with reference to the demilitarized zone are or are not considered to supersede those of Article 44 of the Treaty of Versailles, which lays it down that " in case Germany violates in any manner whatever the provisions of Articles 42 and 43, she shall be regarded as committing a hostile act against the Powers signatory of the present Treaty."
—Yours obediently, LEONARD STEIN. 38, Elm Park Gardens, S.W. 10.
[The sentence in our article was a summary of the broad provisions of the Treaty, as the phrase " the essence of it " indicated, and summaries can by the nature of things not be as complete as the statement they summarize. The point is that as soon as the fact of a violation of the Treaty has been plainly established the guaranteeing Powers must conic immediately to the assistance of the party attacked. In certain cases the guarantors must act even in advance of a decision by the Council of the League.—En. The Spectator.]
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