LEAGUE OF NATIONS' WORK FOR PEACE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 270, 13 November 1937, Page 14

LEAGUE OF NATIONS' WORK FOR PEACE.

The Responsibility Of All Women.

"The great danger to-day is the apathetic or pessimistic attitude of many people towards constructive work for peace," declared Miss Nora Lewis. speaking at the monthly meeting of the Theosophical Friendly Club at 371. Queen Street, on Thursday. "On this day it is as well to remind ourselves of the challenge which might be put to every man and woman, 'Are you for peace or for war?' "

Personally, she said, she had the fullest faith in the league and in the ultimate possibility of achieving the ideal of unity embodied in the covenant. Still, it could not be achieved without effort and the application of reason to human conduct. When one thought of the world to-day —civilised men earnestly and perseveringly trying to combat sickness and to prolong life and to understand the workings of the life force, and at the same time another section of mankind concentrating on making agencies for mowing down and destroying, it seemed so utterly stupid, and yet it was being done to-day. "The greatest enemies to peace ave countries which say they want peace hut whose actions are calculated to bring about war," continued the speaker. ".No denunciation could be too strong for their systems of education which are based on the beliefs of their leaders, maintained by persecution of all opposition; these systems deny individuality and teach contempt for idealism. By refusal of entry of outside newspapers and books, and the use of loudspeakers reiterating their own point of view, all forces are directed to making the minds of the people all of the same pattern." Of the forces that were working against war, Miss Lewis placed first co-operation in scientific thought, research, culture. Such international institutions as the post, cinema, aviation, sport, all the arts, including literature, were bringing the whole world towards unit v.

"The responsibility of women is verv great indeed at this crisis of human development. Laurence Housman, in a recent book, says that if women could get that inner stimulus for peace that they had, say, for obtaining the suffrage, there would be no more war. Women must work as self-sacrificingly and as keenly in peace as they do in war-time. On this anniversary of the Armistice signed 19 years ago, one could wish that the horrors of war might be remembered more than its pageantry." Practical suggestions for groups working for peace might be. said Miss Lewis, to discuss the Covenant of the League of Nations clause by clause as one would study any other law or statute which affected one's life very nearly; to let increases in armaments be paralleled always by strenuous attempts for peace such as economic conferences; to encourage youth movements for peace: to work to support the League of Nations in every country through its local branches; to urge more free trading; to base the teaching of history on a world outlook and to cultivate the international and tolerant outlook always.

Miss Lewis, who has recently spent two years travelling in (ireat Britain and in Europe, and who attended sittings of the League of Nations, spok<of her own observations of peace work in many countries. Everywhere she found women working for peace ideals, and the peace machinery existing in tinworld to-day was very extensive; the extent of its force depended upon public opinion backing it.

The hostesses for the afternoon were Mesdames Baigent and Melville. During the afternoon Miss Carriek sang four delightful songs, Mrs. (Irace being at the piano. Afternoon tea was served later, and a general discussion followed Miss Lewis' thought-provoking lecture.