RELIANCE ON LEAGUE

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22341, 3 March 1938, Page 17

RELIANCE ON LEAGUE

Mr Jordan Speaks For Dominion

"UNSHAKEN FAITH IN

COVENANT"

CMtOK OUH OWX COBF.BBFOVDEXT.) LONDON, February 2. To mark the opening of the one hundredth session of the Council of the League of Nations at Geneva on January 27, members made statements on the attitude of their respective governments to the League. The contribution of the High Commissioner for New Zealand, Mr W. J. Jordan, was a declaration of unshaken faith in the covenant and what it stood for. "I have listened with great interest to the declarations which have been made by Mr Eden on behalf of His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom, and by M. Delbos on behalf of the Government of France, and by other members of the council," Mr Jordan said. "I fully understand that experience has prompted the representative of China in his remarks, an experience we all regret. ' * "Speaking on behalf of my own Government, I would state in the strongest possible terms that in spite of all that has happened since 1936 our faith in the ideals and aims incorporated in the Government of the League of Nations remains as strong as ever, for we believe that, given the will, co-operation amongst the nations of the world in the spirit of the Covenant is possible. The terms of the j Covenant are now under the considera- j tion of A special committee, and perhaps this is not the time nor the place lor making any statement in detail on the views held by my Government on measures of reform, if indeed reform is necessary. Government Support Reaffirmed "These views are contained in the memorandum which my Government submitted to the Secretary-General on July 16, 1936, and my Government firmly believes that the hope for the future good relationship of nations lies in the observance of a code of conduct of which the covenant is an expression, and it reaffirms its attitude towards the League in the terms of that memorandum. "In an historical period extending over thousands of years, the period of the life of the League is almost nothing. We realise that everything cannot be accomplished in a day, and that the time may not be ripe for putting into immediate operation every principle for which we in New Zealand stand: yet we are not prepared to abandon in the face of aggression and detraction of the League's. performance (and many of its performances have been both striking and efficacious) our faith in right and justice based on a sound conception of international relations through a strong League." Personal View of Session In a special message from Geneva, Mr Jordan says that it was encouraging and inspiring to hear the members of the council declare that they would adhere to the policy of the League. It was agreed that the League was at present going'through an unfortunate experience, but it was evident that these nations now associated with the League were desirous of and determined to further the cause of peace. "It may be decided to amend the covenant," says Mr Jordan, "but its wording is unimportant compared with the spirit of its signatories." Mr Jordan declared the satisfaction of his Government and himself with the present covenant. He is a member of the committee which was set up to consider the application of the principles of the covenant, a meeting of which has been summoned for this week.