LEAGUE OF NATIONS

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 66, 19 March 1931, Page 15

LEAGUE OF NATIONS

"MIRACLE OF HISTORY"

NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS

'.• In the course of an' address at a reception given by the League^* Nations Union; at the Lyceum Rooms; last evening, Major.E. S. Harston,'an officer of the League, gave some interesting' par-ticulars-•in regard, to. the .organisation,, its functions, and achievements. /He said. ■that, the .League. ha.d brought; about, sucli.a/ change' in: international i relations thatwere it to disappear morrow 'something very like it _ would immediately have to be provided, to take, its place/ '. He had frequently been; asked what the League had done? Thatl of"course, was', too long a story for a short address. .The League had done many other-} things besides.Tvoriiing; for '' • Millions of /- refugees from the last -war had been provides with; homes' and /occupations/:;:-. A> large mimber "of ■■problems-, arising out ;of the re-drawing, of the frontiers of /Europe had been- settled. 'The' health" adrnin-istratipa'.of'-Greeee^hacL/beeii. reorganised! by-therLeague's^'experts'//-.•'whev were-iow^on their way to Chiha;for._a' similar;'piirpbsW .Countries left, bankrupt by: the'";war-countries- such .-; v as, Greoee,: Austria, v Hungary, ,and, -Bulgaria—had had their finances re-estab-lished by League' aetion,'.when 'all' ether ■ efforts had '.-failed:- "'■■ Social-,,evils -such as the .drug; traffic: and traffic- ih/wompa were also.being dealt..with.,-: ■",■■ /'■■"■./■ ■■'■ After allu'diug' to otliera6hievein.onts. and object's of. the'League1, Major, Harston sai'd the' greatest way in; which/the.: League could..help-New Zealand/was" in endeavouring, to."find, absolution ;for,,the present .economic depression, and■,' to his mind the greatest/hopev for the future lay in the. fact: that/the; finahoiers^ and. economists and responsible Ministers of the various countries'were in' practically continuous ' consultation,■' arid he' firmly believed' that it/was 'only a\question- of time; before 'they 'would be.able to agr.ee upon some' method; of a'ctio"n.\ ■•■;*/■■■;.: :'' "■.'. .:"■ :"."'-.'• .'•'.'■ -.',,'; " -Ik ionelusion; Major Harston. rererrea to a speech made by G-onerar Smuts. at Oiford,/wh'eii h'esaid: «VWe are;belo,lding'. aa'amazing thing. : We ato '/wit*. nessing pnV; of the great: miracles";- of histqry; - The Powers have bound themV selves to .what' amounts in ? effect fo-a cpnsultatiYe Parliament of ;tli6>world.".. ./Mr. J.V. Wilson, private j secretary, to- Sir Ei-ic' Drummond r said'tlie/chief, ■pdrtio.n.of the:.w.orlc of the League'was diViiidd '■ into two phasespr-riamo'ly/. the measures .taken. 'to brganise peace; and the •reduction 'of armaments. : In regard to ■ the, latter,;an. important '] cb,nfe'rencei would be-, held next ■.year.-.... ■/ . , The- Bey. Dn •■• Gibb, Dominion president of, the; League of "Nations .Union, ptesidedj arid .introduced the .speakers. His : introductory/remarks ; wem supported <by Mr. W./.T. M^Eldowney,- pre-; sident of^'the '. Wellington branch..//., A musical : programme ■■-. was : provided '■>■ by1 Mr. Chambers; Miss Cleggj Mrs. Godier, and Mrs.lrwm. / .',.".;• ;■ '. --^ .-■ . C\On ; the motion of the; Mayor (Mr.: G. A. Troup), ■ a vvoto of thanks was ac-. corded ;to. the speakers. Mr./Troupcipressed/his opinion, that the' League .of Nations was/going, to ■*•'. potent; instrument .in .promoting peace. ;/ ''/ ;;::.