LEAGUE OF NATIONS

Evening Post, Volume CXVII, Issue 50, 28 February 1934, Page 13

LEAGUE OF NATIONS

THE UNION PRAISED

INTERESTING TALK

There was a largo and representative gathering yesterday, at a reception given at the Lyceum Club by the Wellington branch of the League of Nations Union. Mr. "Will-Appleton was the speaker for the afternoon, and mentioned the splendid reception which they had received at.1 the London office of the League of Nations Union, arid stated that they were much impressed with the facilities offered to overseas guests. He particularly referred to the library. "While in London Mr. Appleton, arranged for the League to display in its meeting hall the New Zealand peace posters which he had taken Home on behalf of the Canterbury Advertising Club. In connection with future literature for the League it was intended to make use of some of the posters for illustration ■purposes^ ' '■ •.•••■ Mr. Appleton gave an interesting account of their Continental tour, embracing Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Italy, Fiance, Belgium, and Holland. He said that they were most appreciative of the way in which they ■were received in all foreign countries, and he stressed the need for international friendship. He quoted the example of Switzerland, where no less than four different .languages were spoken, and said that the Swiss people were ideal internationally. THE LEAGUE'S. HEADQUARTERS. The speaker gave a graphic description of. Geneva, tha headquarters of the League of Nations, and stated that while in that city- Mrs. Appleton and himself had visited the Palace of Nations and the International Labour Office. During .their".visit' .to Geneva the League was in session, and it was rather interesting to note that at all the leading,hotels a resume of all the League's activites was given to the guests each day. Geneva, said Mr. Appleton, was-also the cradle of .the Bed Cross,' and altogether Switzerland had done a great deal 'to cement friendly relations between the various foreign nations. ' Mr. Ajipleton dealt particular]} 7 with the. activities of the International Labour Office, ana stated that in his opinion, this ..was; one of the major activities of the League., There was no doubt, said the speaker, that the labour conditions■ in Europe genprally lmdbcon great]j improved ns a result of the -work'of the ieaguc, and few people realised just what had been done. He- thought that in the past too much emphasis had been placed on'the question of disarmament, ■ and not enough on-the subject of trade and industry. In his opinion the League of Nations should do Inore in the cementing of, friendly'relations from a trad© point of view, and,arrange for the rejinoval of tariff barriers and the various quotas, so that the flow of trade could take place. The question of disarmament, said Mr. Appleton, would then largely, disappear. ... . Mr. Appleton referred to. the splendid manner in which New Zealand had been represented on the League of Nations by- the various ; High Commissioners, and in particular ho mentioned !that muqh had been done by Sii""James Allen,^Sir James Parr, and Sir Thomas ■\Vilford. The latter had taken a keen personal interest in; the work of the League. . 1 GERMANY AND, THE LEAGUE.': Unfortunately, remarked Mr. Appleton, during - recent years France■ , had dominated the League of Nations to a great extenj;, and the ..feeling in England was that Germany had good .cause to leave the League. At Home it was felt that, more sympathetic consideration should be. extended to Germany, and we -were apt to have, quito erroneous ideas in regard' to the activities of Hitler, but in Mr. -Appleton.'s opfliion Germany today is in a much better., condition than - she was four, years ago. While certain actions of Hitler were not approved of, in general Hitler was doing for Germany what Mussolini, had done for Italy. He thought it was only a. matter of time when Germany wouldrejoin the League of Nations. Mr. Appleton-then referred to the. deplorable condition of Austria, and stated that something would have ■to be done by the various nations to put Austria in a better.position. Either she would have.to throw in her lot with Germany or her territory should be extended, because it was a physical impossibility, for a city like Vienna with a .population of two millions to exist when- the whole population of Austria was only six millions. ' BRITAIN TODAY. In concluding his address Mr. Appleton referieil to the new spirit which had arisenl in Great Britain. The depression, of the last few . years had brought the people together, and the lot.of the average man or woman in the Old Country today was infinitely better than in the yoars gone by..There was a general feeling nowadays that the welfaro of the community was.the concern of everyone. One of. the groat movements, of'course, had been . the clearing of the slums,' in which the Prince- of Wales had taken it leading part. As a result of the building activity' throughout the country unemployment , hadr been largely removed, and with better housing facilities and better living conditions generally, England today was probably the most prosporous country in the world. Nationally and individually the Old Country had practised thrift and economy, and the results were now being felt. There was, .of course, still a good deal of unemployment, .but that was inevitable with a country with a forty-sbc million population.