The Present Status of Neutrality
In: American journal of international law: AJIL, Band 34, Heft 3, S. 391-415
ISSN: 2161-7953
President Wilson asserted in 1917 that "neutrality is no longer feasible or desirable where the peace of the world is involved and the freedom of its people." In March, 1920, at its second session, the League of Nations Council affirmed that "the conception of neutrality of the members of the League is incompatible with the principle that all members will be obliged to cooperate in enforcing respect for their engagements." In 1929 the British Foreign Office officially declared that "as between members of the League there can be no neutral rights because there can be no neutrals." And in 1932 Secretary of State Stimson declared in reference to the Pact of Paris that "hereafter when two nations engage in armed conflict either one or both of them must be wrongdoers—violators of the general treaty. We no longer draw a circle about them and treat them with the punctilios of a duelist's code. Instead we denounce them as law-breakers."