WAR MEMOIRS OF DAVID LLOYD GEORGE 1917

APPENDIX C
SUMMARY OF SIR EYRE CROWE'S MEMORANDUM
In a memorandum dated October 12th, 1916, Sir Eyre
Crowe made a critical examination of the scheme which had
been put forward by Lord Robert Cecil for a League to enforce
peace.
Analysing this scheme, he noted that it proposed a joint
association of all the Powers signing the Peace Treaty:
(1) To guarantee the territorial settlement it imposed;
(2) To settle in conference any question of modifying that
settlement;
(3) To enforce their decisions by united action against a
recalcitrant State;
(4) To carry out general disarmament under cover of the
foregoing guarantees.
As regards the nature and constitution of the Conference
of Nations which should be set up to deal with these issues,
he observed:
(a) That it must include not only the Powers signing the
Peace Treaty, but also the Neutral Powers; in fact, every
Sovereign State would have to be included.
(b) That it would have to possess a permanent headquarters
and organisation, so as to deal at once with every concrete issue
arising.
(c) That it would work as a formidable means of obstruction
and delay, but would be feeble in promoting definite progress.
(d) That the readiness of all countries to join in and pledge
themselves to united action could not be taken as certain.
Assuming that all nations united in such a solemn league
and covenant, would they keep it? Taking first the case of a
violation or attempted violation of the territorial settle-