PEACE OF THE WORLD

Evening Star, Issue 17542, 23 December 1920, Page 9

PEACE OF THE WORLD

LEAGUE OF NATIONS’ AIM. ’ MR LLOYD GEORGE ON THE POSITION. CANADIAN DELEGATE OPTIMISTIC. Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. LONDON, December 22. (Received December 23, at 10.20 a.m.) The Empire Parliamentary Association gave a luncheon to the Dominion delegates tb the League of Nations, with the exception of those who are spending Christmas in the South of Prance. Mr Lloyd George, who presided, proposed the toast of “The Dominions.” He regretted the absence of Senator Millen (Australia). The Prime Minister said Sir James Allen represented New Zealand, which contributed such wonderful service in the \yar. The delegates had returned from the great errand of attending the first Parliament of Nations at Geneva. An experiment had been launched and a good deal had been accomplished. The most_ conspicuous thine; achieved was the creation of a Court of Justice. The outstanding fact was that the nations of the world had been brought together for the discussion of matters which troubled the peoples of the world. _ If there had been a League of Nations in 1914 there would 1 have been no war involving 30,000,000 casualties and the destruction of untold wealth. They could congratulate themselves on the fine part the Empire delegates Lady played at Geneva. Amendments to the Covenant were needed to make it effective. The League would not achieve its full purpose until all countries were admitted. He was glad to see certain enemy States admitted. He was sanguine that Germany would so fulfil her obligations as to secure admission without opposition, and he looked hopefully to America’s inclusion. The question of disarmament, said Mr Lloyd .George, had not progressed, and there would be no real peace among the nations so long as competing armaments existed. It was no use establishing a great peace association if on the other hand there was to be increasing competition in armaments; but all nations must enter the League before disarmament was possible, otherwise the nations could not take risks. All must march together in the matter before the League could effec-t-ively achieve its aim. Sir George Foster (Canada), replying, said that the League had achieved reasonable results at the first Assembly. The manner in which tho delegates from the various nations learned something of each other was a great achievement, even if nothing else had been accomplished. A strong point was that the League was founded, upon an ineradicable ideal to prevent war and to- secure reasonable peace for tin human race. The League was not going to fail, even if some considerable did not enter for a year or two. He believed that America would yet become a prominent member. ' George Foster added that, though the Covenant was not perfect, the Assembly felt that ft should have a proper trial before beinjr amended on the spur of the moment. The League had not got all the' sympathy it should have done. Manv people expected great results which no human power could have produced. What was wanted was more propaganda. Everv nation would show what it could do if humanity would give it whole-hearted, solid support. Tlie British Empire was stronger to-day by reason of its delegates foregathering at Geneva.—A. and NZ Cable.