The Auckland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, and The Echo. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 1927. NATIONS IN COUNCIL.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 211, 7 September 1927, Page 6

The Auckland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, and The Echo.

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 1927. NATIONS IN COUNCIL.

For the oaute that lock* awtstanei, For the wrong that need* —"rfnnWL For the future in the diatance. " Amd the good that u* on do.

On Monday the eighth Assembly of the League of Nations opened at Geneva, without arousing any very special interest or attention in most other parts of the world. There is no doubt that the prestige of the League just now is at rather a low ebb. For a great many of its earlier supporters are dissatisfied -with its failure to abolish war and reconstruct civilisation "in a moment and the twinkling of an eye," and a considerable proportion of the active members of the League are grievously disappointed at the collapse of the Arms Limitation Conference. These are not sound reasons for despairing of the League of Nations, but they are producing a certain definite effect, which no doubt has been intensified by the recent withdrawal of M. de Jouvenal and Viscount Ceeil from the League.

Contrary to expectation, a certain amount -of excitement was worked tip over the election of the President for the year. The principal candidate was Count Mensdorff, who was Austrian ambassador in London when the war broke out, and was one of the few representatives of the Habsburg Empire abroad who strove for peace. However, the voting, by a small majority, went in favour of Senor Guani, of Uruguay, who is described as "a hardworking supporter of the League," and who had been promised British support by Sir Austen Chamberlain last year. But though Senor Guam's election is said to be a triumph for British diplomacy, it is evident that Count MensdorfTs defeat was chiefly due to his connection with the pre-war Austro-Hungarian regime. Mensdorff is an able and conscientious man, and he has adapted himself successfully to the changed conditions at Vienna since the war. But the fact that the delegates from the Little Entente States voted solidly with the Latin-American delegates for Guani explains clearly enough why Mensdorff was rejected.

So far as the official agenda are concerned, there does not seem to be much prospect of any important work for the League in the near .future. However, it is reported that the German delegates intend to raise the whole question of disarmament; in other words, Germany, having entered the League, desires to make use of her opportunity to demand that she shall enjoy the same privileges as other States, and shall not be discriminated against on account of the war. The effect of such a discussion might well be disastrous to the League. But the Germans have never been remarkable for political tact, and it may suit their purposes to bring the question to an issue at once. Meantime, a special interest for Britain and the Empire attaches to Canada's candidature for one of the non-permanent seats on the League Council; not only because it will strengthen British influence in the League, but because it marks Britain's formal recognition of the virtual independence of the self-governing Dominions.