When all is said, however, it is difficult to regret even the haste of the 1924 Assembly, for the demonstration which it gave of the genuine desire of a large part of Europe for all-inclusive arbitration, and the impetus it gave to the movement towards arbitration throughout the world, have been among the most important factors in political history since 1919.
Certainly the preparation of these two schemes was essential to the Locarno agreements of 1925. By "preparation" of course is not meant merely the technical elaboration of the proposals. In international agreements, that is always the least part of the work. It is the preparation of the public opinion of the world, of the minds of ministers and their advisers, which is the im portant thing. The preparation, in this wider sense, at Geneva was the indispensable basis of the Locarno treaties. These trea ties provide for all-inclusive arbitration, on very much the Protocol principle, but over a restricted though wide range of countries ; and for mutual guarantees and support somewhat simi lar to those of the original treaty of mutual assistance. It is, how ever, of their essence that the main vital guarantee is "bilateral" and not based upon a grouping of Powers presumed to be friendly against others presumed to be unfriendly.
Meantime the movement towards arbitration has found further expression in the conclusion of a large number of bilateral agree ments. As a complement to these, less specific in its provisions but more universal in its scope, is the Treaty, signed in Aug.
1928, for the renunciation of war "as an instrument of national policy" (see OUTLAWRY OF WAR). By the side of this movement, developed outside but obviously aided by the political preparation of the League, the League itself (working through a "Preparatory Commission" for the Disarmament Conference), has proceeded with detailed work designed to increase the sense of security. It has prepared plans for assisting the Council to take effective action in case of a threat of war (under Art. r I etc., . . .), these plans ranging from the improvement of material facilities of communi cation by telegram, wireless, telephone, etc., . . . to the drafting of an interesting plan of "financial assistance to the victim of aggression" (which is still under consideration). Effective meas ures of disarmament are still awaiting an increased sense of secur ity; and while some advance has been made in the technical work of arranging the form in which reduction of armaments could most suitably be expressed, the date of an effective Disarmament Conference is still uncertain. The abortive Naval Conference of .1927, which though held at Geneva was conducted quite independ ently of the League, did not advance the general problem. Mean time, as might be expected, increasing emphasis is being placed by Germany on the assurance given to her at the signature of Peace that her disarmament was intended to be followed by reduction of armaments of other countries. Ultimate advance of course de pends upon the public opinion of the different countries.