My telegram No. 155. [1] Lord de la Warr [2] has now made a
declaration of United Kingdom policy towards the League at a
plenary session of the Assembly. Yesterday Foreign Office advised
this would probably not come up until later stage in Committee.

Decision to make a declaration at this stage was probably linked
up with change in situation made by Prime Minister's [3] decision
to visit Herr Hitler.

Main point made [by] Lord de la Warr was that Covenant had come to
be regarded as an instrument for indefinite maintenance status quo
whereas its real essence lay in principle peaceful change and
prohibition war until all means of pacific settlement had been
exhausted. League had tended to strengthen sanctions article at
expense provisions designed for pacific settlement of disputes.

United Kingdom proposals regarding articles sixteen and eleven and
severance Covenant from Peace Treaties were all put forward and
appear to have been well received.

STIRLING