LEAGUE OF NATIONS

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 6, 8 January 1930, Page 8

LEAGUE OF NATIONS

WORK INCREASING YEARLY

AN OFFICIAL ON HOLIDAY

(By Telegraph.) (Special to "The Evening Post.") PALMERSTON N., This Day. The cost of living in Europe still remains high, Jjut conditions generally are much more stable, and there is an en* couraging atmosphere of reconstruction abroad, says Mr. John Chapman, a member of the economics section of the secretariat of the League of Nations, who has just returned' to Palmerston North on leave. . j The fact that the work of the League is increasing every year is, in Mr. Chapman's view, au evidence of an increasing desire on the part of the nations to achieve world peace through co-operation and conference. The League worked quietly, but its widespread organisation was a very real force in international politics. Mr. Chapman's own department is the economics section, and in this direction he stated the work carried out by the League's committee was already bearing excellent fruit and appeared fraught with promise. Nations were showing a marked tendency to considet their economic problems in conference and to recognise the importance of economics.in the preservation of world peace and in the building up of prosperity. A number .of very important economic conferences had already been held at Geneva, and the first results of these were already' apparent. The League had been hammering at the nations to stabilise their tariffs and to oppose any increase in tariff restrictions. It had been successful in arranging a conference to take place during the present year, when many important matters affecting international trade would be considered, and efforts would be made to obtain the nations' agreement to a tariff truce. In a great number of directions the League's economic committee was doing good work and was endeavouring to prove that the avoidance of economic strife could, in many instances, prevent belligerent strife. One of the greatest 'advantages of the League was the publicity which it gave to international questions and the opportunities it offered for the i settlement of national differences by round-the-table conferences. The smaller countries recognised the tremendous value of the League as a means of ensuring, them a fair hearing in the court of nations, and were consequently very strong in their support. Although national differences with the underlying current of reparations obligations were still apparent, the general feeling in Europe was undoubtedly in favour of the League and searching after world peace. : Delegates, as a rule, came to the conferences with very open minds and very free from prejudice. Great Britain was in no sense regarded as the Shylock of the reparations negotiations, although in some quarters there was a feeling that America might have been more generous in its attitude. America sent observers to all conferences, and although still withholding from the League, watched developments very closely. It had taken a very active part in the recent Economic Conference and Economic Statistical Conference. , ___________