1930 - Annual Convention Report

              58 A L B E R T A W O M E N ' S I N S T I T U T ES
While this undoubtedly was a great stride forward toward breaking the
terrible power of war, yet an agreement greater than Locarno, greater than
any previous step towards world peace, was the Kellogg- Bnand Peace Pact,
signed and sealed in Pans, August 27th, 1928; greater because for the first
time the whole question is considered from a different and a nobler angle,
from the angle of peace instead of war; greater because it was an attempt
to build on the solid foundation of public opinion Hitherto the nations of
the world had pledged themselves to come to each other's assistance if at­tacked;
the Kellogg Pact makes no exceptions, admits no compromise; it
merely says that the world shall give up war altogether
Fourteen nations agreed to and signed the following Articles of the Pact •
A r t i c l e I " The high contracting parties solemnly declare in the names
of their respective peoples that they condemn recourse to war for the solu­tion
of international controversies and renounce it as an instrument of national
policy in their relations one w i t h another."
A r t i c l e II " The high contracting parties agree that the settlement or
solution of all disputes or conflicts of whatever origin may arise among them
shall never be sought except by pacific means "
This is considered the most drastic moral pledge against war ever taken
by a group of nations.
One most significant fact in connection with the Kellogg Pact is that
the signatories include two great nations—' Russia and the United States—
who are not members of the League of Nations True it is that inconsistencies
exist between the Covenant and the K e l l o g g Pact in regard to the institution
of war The former permits war under certain specified conditions, after
every other resource has been tried and has failed The latter seeks to
abolish war entirely. While differences are admitted there is no fundamental
conflict between the two methods which would make them inadjustiible to
each other In fact an effort to adjust these inconsistencies is already under
way
And so we come step by step, to the latest and by some hailed as the
greatest single step toward world peace, the London Naval Treaty of 1930
" It marks," says the London Press, " the inauguration of a new era of
world relations and especially the definite beginning of a new and warmer
phase of comradely understanding between the Anglo- Saxon nations "
After weeks of discussion and deliberation the document was signed by
the accredited envoys of the five great sea powers, the United States, Great
B r i t a i n , Japan, France and Italy, the last two with certain reservations. The
real achievement of the conference is, of course, the stopping of the naval
r i v a l r y of Great Britain, United States and Japan as regards all classes of
fighting vessels The right to build has been restricted by international agree­ment,
and there shall no longer be danger of competitive bidding for supre­macy
of the seas Two distinct advantages are pronounced : First, economy
due to reduction of armaments; second, improvement of international rela­tions
due to the cessation of competitive building; and this is a long step
toward ultimate peace The next move, indications of which are already
appearing on the horizon, might easily lead to reduction of land armament
as well Disarmament will come just in proportion as nations feel secure.
The League of Nations has staunch and loyal friends who point with
pride and satisfaction to its list of actual achievements and who see no limit
to its future It has stopped wars; no one will attempt to deny that; no
fewer than seven international disputes have been amicably settled, and a
number of cases have been settled out of court The financial rehabilitatfott