Speech #660117949

Hlaving in mind the purpose of its projectors as revealed in the whole covenant. no less than by their public declarations. to provide for the settlement of international controversies by negotiation and arbitral methods rather than by war. and to constrain the nations of the earth to pursue the peaceful plan proposed in case of differences rather than to resort to hostilities. the ffiirminded man can scarcely harbor a doubt that the word was used in the restricted sense last above indicated. It is true that in a derivative sense the word " aggression " has come to mea " any offensive action or procedare." (Century Dictiohary.) But it can not be possible that it is in that sense the word is used in Article 10. I slall inquire presently whether the harboring of political refugees is "offensive action or procedure." It might be remarked that both words " action and " procedure " imply the doing of somethingsome initiativewhile what might be complained of in the cas6 of political refugees is the failure on the part of the Government of the country of asylum to do something. and particularly the thing re.quested or demanded. namely. to arrest and surrender tile alleged offender. that is to say. that doing nothing is not atggression. To return to the inquiry as to whether the word "aggression" as used in Article 10 can mean " any offensive action or procedure." If it does. then not only the failure to arrest and surrender political refugees. if that is such conduct. and I shall demonstrate that it is not. but any other offensive action or procedure on the part of one member of the league against another. threatening its territorial integrity or political independence. would call into activity against the offender every other member of the league. as provided in Article .10. It is easily conceivable that some would reach the conclusion that the act complained of was not " offensive." but was clearly within the right of the nation committing it. what is or is not the right of a country under given circumstances is often a matter of very grave doubt. International law is far from being an exact science.