TWO ARMED CAMPS

Evening Post, Volume CXXIX, Issue 23, 27 January 1940, Page 14

TWO ARMED CAMPS

-.DIVISION OF EUROPE

OF NATIONS UNION

W&ACE SETTLEMENT

: t ''The- negative Four-Power Conference at Munich last year, and the subsequent' trend of events in Europe, whiienot irrevocably destroying hopes " Qf a rapprochement between the democratic and totalitarian Powers, has certainly' completed the division of Europe into two armed camps be- \ "tween. which peace appears little more than a 'truce jnost delicately maintain-ed,"--states the Dominion Council of the League of Nations Union of New Zealand in its report for 1938-39, which will, be submitted to the annual con- - ference at Lower Hutt on Wednesday next.

."The principle of League co-opera-tion has for the moment proved ineffective. England and. New Zealand are" in'these circumstances necessarily looking more to their defences and less to -Geneva. But League of Nations "Union members need not find dismay in a short view of the situation, serious though it is. Peace and security are no- less the essentials of an orderly and fruitful civilisation. If the League hag failed to provide them, by reasons of inherent weaknesses or lack of proper support, its, machinery and functions' must be re-examined with careful- and dispassionate criticism. As the.only existing nucleus of international team work the "League must at all','costs be preserved and strengthened so that effective co-operation, between;'free and equal nations, pooling necessary portions of their sovereign powers,-may finally be established. In the-temporary international turmoil -liesi-therefore no i justification for lessened''interest in the League, but a stimulus to renewed i energy and constructive 'membership based on a firmer adherence to the principles mof the "Covenant. From contacts during the'last-year the New Zealand League of Nations Union is particularly encouraged to feel that it shares this generous attitude with the Government"

: IMPORTANT REMITS. •Among the remits set down for the consideration- of the annual conference, are the following:— •"1 * That, in order to give the greatest opportunity for a peace settlement based'On international co-operation for'the welfare of humanity (a) be urged to maintain the maximum activity during the war period with'the object of facilitating "well-informed discussion of all mat-ters-relevant to such a - settlement; ahd-'(b) all members of the union be urg«d-to use their.utmost endeavours , to.*resist, any' tendency towards passion" and hate. m ~\"2.~That, as a means of implementing" (a) above, branches be recommended to consider the possibility of arranging, discussion groups and conferences in co-operation with other •interested organisations and individuals with the object of framing | -constructive proposals for a lasting peace settlement. ' >"3.> That the New Zealand Government be urged to make public its own view •'on -peace aims; not to commit itself.; to any decisions on matters likely-to affect the nature of the peace settlement without giving adequate prior opportunities for public discussion; and" generally to do all in its power to prevent the making of secret agreements between the Powers on; matters likely to affect the peace settlement." i DOMINION COUNCIL. " The Dominion .council states ' that owing'to the pressure of other work Professor F. L. W. Wood last June found himself obliged to retire from the presidency, and Mr. T. C. Brash X vice-president), acceded to the council's request and accepted the | position. •' Professor Wood, however, I retains a seat on the council, and will, | as usual, give the union his support -and interest. The position of chair--man is being filled by Mr. H. McCor- | xhick.- <Dn account likewise of the pressure .of other duties the Rev. Gor- ' , don McKenzie and the Rev. H. W., ■Newell resigned from the Dominion .Council, and Mr. T. D. H. Hall, .C.M.G., and Professor Leslie Lipson were appointed to the vacant seats. Mr. A. E. Campbell, M.A. (a former member of the Dominion Council) now'fills the vacancy caused by the death of Mr. W. B. Matheson. 'Tne strength of the Dominion membership is given at 2153, with 404 in Wellington. .The conference on Wednesday will be opened by the Bishop of Wellington.