§ 61. Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether replies have been received from the Governments of Bolivia and Paraguay in answer to the resolution of the Council of the League of Nations of the 11th of December communicated to them, in which the two States between whom the dispute is threatened were warned that they had solemnly pledged themselves to seek the solution of disputes by pacific means; if so, what is the nature of these replies; and whether any further action is contemplated by the Council of the League?
§ Sir A. CHAMBERLAINThe answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative, and the Council has addressed a further communication to each of the Governments. As the reading of this correspondence would occupy much time, I will, with the hon. and gallant Member's permission, cause it to be printed in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYCan I have an answer to the last part of the question?
§ Sir A. CHAMBERLAINI think the material which I shall have printed will give the answer. The President of the Council undertook to watch the progress of events, with the assistance of the Secretary-General, and, if necessary, to summon a Council meeting.
§ Sir N. GRATTAN-DOYLECan the right hon. Gentleman say whether the League of Nations has any jurisdiction whatever in any part of America, in view of the provisions of the Monroe doctrine?
§ Sir A. CHAMBERLAINYes, Sir. There are many Clauses in the League Covenant which enjoin upon the Council the duty of offering its friendly offices, and none which dispenses them from that duty, and I do not think the action of the Council can be thought in any quarter to raise or challenge for a moment the question of the Monroe doctrine.
§ Sir N. GRATTAN-DOYLEIn view of the fact that the United States is not a party to the Covenant of the League of Nations, if anything transpires in any part of America, is it not open to the United States to say that they have a right to object to any proceedings, and to veto them if necessary?
§ Sir A. CHAMBERLAINI do not think that the hon. Member's question can be taken as a fair interpretation of American policy or of the Monroe doctrine. I deprecate the putting of these questions, and I am certain that nothing that the League will do is likely to give offence in the United States.
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYIn view of these answers, may we take it that His Majesty's Government, as one of the State members of the League, is taking this dispute seriously, although it is in a remote part of the world like the centre of South America, and using its utmost endeavours to exercise its offices for peace?
§ Sir A. CHAMBERLAINHis Majesty's Government were parties to the different decisions taken by the Council of the League.
Following is the correspondenceThe Council of the League of Nations, meeting at Lugano for its fifty-third session, expresses its full conviction that the incidents which have occurred between two members of the League of Nations will not become more serious. It does not doubt that the two States, which by signing the covenant have solemnly pledged themselves to seek by pacific means the solution of disputes arising between them, will have recourse to such methods as would he in conformity with their international obligations and would appear in the actual circumstances to he the most likely to ensure, together with the maintenance of peace, the settlement of their dispute.
The reply of Paraguay to the Council's telegram runs as follows:I have the honour to reply to your telegram of yesterday, which furnishes proof 2618 of the lofty spirit of peace governing the deliberations of the Council for whom you are authorised to speak. My government has pleasure in informing you that it is animated with the same spirit, and that Paraguay, strong in the justice of her case, will accept and faithfully fulfil her international obligations. For this reason she asked for the summoning of the commission provided for in the treaty of 3rd May, 1923, and the purpose of which is to avoid conflicts between American states. Bolivia refused to participate in this procedure, which would have established the truth and determined the question of responsibility, basing her refusal on the mere statement of her alleged grievances. Paraguay does not refuse any conciliation procedure for the settlement of her disputes, still less the procedure laid down in conventions to which she has given her solemn acceptance.
The reply of Bolivia runs as follows:I have the honour to refer to the resolution forwarded to me by Your Excellency in which the Council of the League of Nations recommends and hopes that the incidents which have occurred between this country and Paraguay will not become serious and in which Your Excellency also suggests, with characteristic wisdom, that the parties will continue to act in a peaceful manner, in conformity with the obligations entered into by the States signatories of the covenant. The covenant of the League and Your Excellency may rest assured that Bolivia will not depart from the principles and obligations contained in the covenant of the League. From the report submitted by Bolivia to the League, the Council will be able to ascertain the antecedents of the question at issue with Paraguay and how a violent aggression was committed by that country against the territory and sovereignty of Bolivia, a small garrison being detroyed by much superior forces, 20 soldiers and two officers being killed, their dwellings being set on fire and the remainder of the garrison being taken prisoners. Paraguay has entered into obligations with Bolivia to submit their differences to judicial arbitration to determine the zone of arbitration and to settle their various disputes by peaceful means. Nevertheless, by an inexcusable surprise blow and in contradiction with the stipulations of articles 10 and 13 of the covenant of the League Paraguay has committed an aggression which we solemnly denounce to the Council, confirming our previous denunciation, and we declare that Bolivia has no alternative hut to demand the satisfactions which are due in such cases and to take military measures of a defensive character to safeguard her security because Paraguay, having concentrated her forces and advanced her general staff to points very close to the lines of contact of the military posts of the two countries, it is quite possible that further encounters may take place with which my government must be prepared to deal. Until the satisfaction 2619 due by Paraguay has been given, it does not seem possible to my government to allay the excitement of public opinion sufficiently to permit the resumption of peaceful negotiations. I have no doubt that the Council with its unfailing judgment will recognise the justice and sincerity of these explanations, and will take note of my government's declaration of its intention to act on the Council's recommendations and to observe the stipulations of the covenant. But Bolivia cannot agree that under cover of conciliation proceedings the agreement provided for judicial arbitration on a concrete and definite basis should be invoked in order to settle the substance of the dispute or that an attempt should be made to evade the obligation to provide the just satisfaction prescribed by international law and practice of such cases.
In taking act of the communications of the two governments the Council has addressed to them the following further message to Bolivia:The Council has taken cognizance of the telegram of 12th December addressed to it by the Minister of Bolivia in Paris and communicating in the name of his Government a detailed statement of the events leading up to the dispute between Bolivia and Paraguay. The Council has also taken act of the telegram of 14th December, signed by the President and the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Bolivia. This telegram contains in particular the following declaraton.The Council of the League may rest assured that Bolivia will not depart from the principle and obligations contained in the covenant of the League.'The Council has studied with the closest attention the statement of your Government's point of view. It is glad to find this proof of the attachment of Bolivia to the principles and obligations of the covenant and is thereby led to hope that the parties will carefully avoid all acts which could make it more difficult to ensure a pacific solution. In closing to-day its fifty-third ordinary session at Lugano it expresses its firm conviction that the obligations of the covenant will be fulfilled. It recalls that if there should arise between two members of the League of Nations a dispute likely to lead to a rupture, they cannot, without breaking their international engagements and in particular the stipulations of article 12 of the covenant, fail to have recourse by one method or another, to one of the procedures for pacific settlement provided for in the covenant. It also considers it useful to draw attention to the fact that the covenant mentions amongst other things disputes as to the existence of any fact which if established would constitute a breach of any international obligation or as to the extent and nature of the reparation to be made for any such breach '. The Council would insist on the fact that its experience suggests the great importance of any measures of self-defence 2620 being carefully limited to those which can neither be interpreted as aggressive by the other country or as such as to involve the risk of direct contact between troops, which would increase the gravity of the situation and render more difficult the efforts which are at present being made for the maintenance of peace. The Council has instructed me as its President for the time being to follow events, in consultation if necessary with my colleagues through the Secretary General of the League. I further have the honour to communicate to you for information the telegram which I have received from the Paraguayan Government." (Telegram already reproduced.)
§ Here ends telegram to Bolivia.
The telegram to Paraguay begins:The Council has taken cognizance of the letter addressed to it on 11th December, for its information by the Charge d'Affaires of Paraguay in Paris on the subject of the dispute which has arisen between the Republics of Paraguay and Bolivia. The Council has also taken act of your telegram of 12th December, which concludes by the following declaration: Paraguay does not refuse any conciliation procedure for the settlement of her disputes, still less the procedure laid down in conventions to which she has given her solemn acceptance.' The Council is glad to find this proof of the attachment of Paraguay to the principles and obligations of the covenant and is thereby led to hope that the parties will carefully avoid all acts which could make it more difficult to ensure a pacific solution. In closing to-day its fifty-third ordinary session at Lugano it expresses its firm conviction that the obligations of the covenant. will be fulfilled. It recalls that if there should arise between two members of the League of Nations a dispute likely to lead to a rupture, they cannot, without breaking their international engagements and in particular the stipulations of article 12 of the covenant, fail to have recourse by one method or another, to one of the procedures for pacific settlement provided for in the covenant. It also considers it useful to draw attention to the fact that the covenant mentions amongst other things disputes as to the existence of any fact which it is established would constitute a breach of any international obligation or as to the extent and nature of the reparation to be made for any such breach.' The Council would insist on the fact that its experience suggests the great importance of any measures of self-defence being carefully limited to those which can neither be interpreted as aggressive by the other country or as such as to involve the risk of direct contact between troops, which would increase the gravity of the situation and render more difficult the efforts which are at present being made for the maintenance of peace. The Council has instructed me as its President for the time being to follow events, in consultation if necessary with my colleagues through the Ssecretary General of the League. I further have the honour to communicate to you for 2621 information the telegram which I have received from the Bolivian Government." (Telegram already reproduced above.)Here ends the telegram to Paraguay