LEAGUE OF NATIONS.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 19892, 1 April 1930, Page 17

LEAGUE OF NATIONS.

ADDRESS BTMRE. J. RICHES. ''The League of Nations" was the subject of an address delivered at Canterbury College last, night by Mr £: J. Riches, M.A., of the. International Labour Office, Geneva The machinery of the League wafi three-fold, said Mr Riches, consisting of the Court of International Justice at The Hague, the Council, Assembly, and Secretariat At Geneva, and the International Labour Organisation, also at Geneva. Thus the three branches—Judicial, Political, and Industrial—were adequately covered. Of these three divisions it wafi the first and second whose work was most spectacular, and in consequence more widely recognised. The International Labour Organisation aimed at the rationalisation of economic relations between countries and the removal of friction points in those relationships. As an example of the method of working the speaker instanced the,formulation of the European Railway Convention of 1024, which did much to eliminate the great wastage occasioned in the railway systems by frontier difficulties. There was no obligation on any countrv to ratify conventions, but they must be submitted to the national governments for acceptance or rejection within twelve months. Thiß principle was decided upon in order that conventions should not become dead-letters through apathy on the part of the nations concerned. The aim was to form an international industrial Parliament on a, basis of . vocational representation, hence each State had the power to send four representatives. The only nations not participating were Rwsift, Turkey, Mexico, and the United "Although the constitution provides for economic action that may be taken against defaulting States, there has never been any need for such a drastic course." said Mr Riches "the publicity attached to the case having always been sufficient to make nations conform to the conventions established. In its whole action the League depends on public opinion through which it aims at broadening the basis of peace that war may become an obviously stupid thing in international relationAt the conclusion of his address the Bpeaker was accorded a vote or thanks.