LEAGUE OF NATIONS

Evening Star, Issue 18020, 14 July 1922, Page 2

LEAGUE OF NATIONS

CO-OPERATION OF UNIVERSITIES.

NATIONAL GREATNESS ACHIEVED BY INTELLECTUAL DEVELOPMENT.

ADDRESS BY DR ELDER

At tho invitation of the local branch of the League of Nations Union, members of the teaching staff of Otago University were the guests at a luncheon' hold in tho Y.M.C.A. Assembly Hall on Wednesday. Dr G. L. Thompson presided over a good attendance, and after lunch a splendid address was given by Dr Elder on ‘ The League of Nations and tho Universities".’

Dr Elder, in introducing his subject, said the committee of the Dunedin branch of tho League of Nations Union had invited the presence of _ representative members of tho teaching _staff ot tho University because it realised the moulding power of tha University in the formation of that enlightened public opinion upon which tho success or failure of tho league must ultimately depend. As men of science in the widest sense, they were already in sympathy with the objects of the league. Knowledge was an international thing, aftd in tho breaking down of national barriers none had achieved more than those who had set themselves, to interpret the intellectual movements and scientific advances of other nations to their own countrymen. It said something for the larger view of humanity that cvCn during the war it was made possible for men of learning and of science in countries whose Governments wore at war to communicate directly and to forward to each other necessary material for research. As lecturer in history iu Aberdeen University he was associated, for example, with a professor who, when not engaged in acting as chronicler of tho achievements of the British Navy—his recounts of Jutland and Zeobruggo and Ostcnd were well known to those interested in the literature of our war- , fare at sea—was employed in the more I restful task of developing a biography of Bach, with a full account of his chorales. For the one task lie acquired tho necessary atmosphere by work among naval records and by association with German-hating officers of tho fleet, until he became a veritable man of war himself. In connection with Ids peaceful musical pursuits ho was in communication with various professors ' of music in Germany, who consigned . precious hooks and music to him by way of tho British Museum. As I Britishers on the one side and Germans on the other, they were at war and enemies; as men ’of culture, interested in tho world recognition of the work of , a great German musician, they mot | ns friends, each eager to promote the 1 scientific work of the other. From this j point of view the universities, the in- | heritors of world knowledge, had a great deal to teach tho public with regard to international relations, since they stood for tho sane cosmopolitanism of him who sought to understand and to appreciate the efforts of other peoples to develop their activities, while at tho same time recognising the justice of tho national and patriotic standpoint. These universities were founded as Europe emerged from the barbarism of the medieval period, as witness to tho growing feeling that the destiny of the world lay with moral power, not with sheer brute 'force; and, in spite of all the numerous wars which had troubled the nations since the days when tho main issue was whether Pope'or Emperor was to he the supreme force in the Empire, which in theory embraced all Christian Europe, _ the universities had stood, along with the Church, as institutions making protest against all that would seek to resist the dominance of mind over body, of spirit over matter. Their lesson throughout tho ..ages has been that a Achieve greatness must concentrate its energies on its inpral and intellectual development, and that the highest types of such development ss_ tho monopoly of no one nation. History was full of examples of the transformation of peoples through the sheer force of intellect. It was because tho League of Nations Union stood for the same ideals of the wider outlook and a broad humanitarianisin that it; had a right to appeal to tho universities for their co-operation. Tho chief difficulties and dangers centred round the problem of intervention and that of devising that elaborate supernational machinery which should ensure that law would rule among the nations as among individual- citizens, that treaties would be fulfilled and contracts observed. There was a real need for a break with the traditions of the past with regard to the rights of sovereign States. To effect such a change of mind v.dth regard to international affairs demanded an alteration in the viewpoint, which could bo effected only by a groat spiritual awakening of the nations. He did not think wo could doubt that wo were witnessing all around ns evidence of spiritual change. Tho nations had great armaments, and knew, like the man of wealth, that in an nnregonerato world power was of more weight in tho scale than abstract justice Tho League of Nations had already done a great deal to ease tho burden under which Europe was staggerin'*. That was an evidence of progress and of the influence of a spiritual awakening of mankind. There must bo such force behind the activities of the league that failure became impossible. "At the same time the achievement of tho league during its years of existence had been no mean one. If they read tho report of tho work of tho Council of the League of Nations, as recorded in its official journal for 1921 and 1922, they would find there a record of work in tho spheres of diplomacy, finance, and tho_ improvement of. internal communication. It had been prominent in relieving famine and distress, in safeguarding public health, and in saving women and children from grossest outrage. It stood for the protection of tire weak and for the freedom of racial minorities, irrespective of nationality or creed. A Permanent Court of International Justice had been established which had already averted war in South-Eastern Europe by tho settlement of (he question of the frontier of Albania. Tho league had established an International Labor Bureau entrusted with two great missions—the promotion of the international protection of workers by conventions concluded between all States, with tho object of bringing about more just and humane conditions of labor, and the creation of a centre for the collection of information, and of a groat organisation for scientific investigation on social questions. A report of great interest with regard to tho organisation of intellectual work, adopted by tho Council of, tljo League in September, 1921, showed tho broad stand-' point of the league, which was that it] should take up the position that it had, no task more urgent than that of c--1 amiuing these groat factors of into--national opinion—the systems and methods of education, -and scientifi" and philosophical research. “ It would bo unthinkable,” the report read, “ that the league should endeavor to improve the means of exchange of material products; without also endeavoring to facilitate the international exchange of ideas.” An obvious point was that which demonstrated tho I great benefit that would result from measures which permitted a more rapid and more accurate communication of all work undertaken simultaneously in tho field of scientific research in various parts of tho world. It seemed to him that the League of Nations movement was worthy of the most energetic support of tho universities, wore it only on account of the co-ordination in education. The International Education Association and the International Labor Organisation represented but two of the activities of the Icacuie.

Both pointed to the fact that the promoters intend the league to bo a practical movement, and no more dream of visionaries. Both were typical of tho fact that tho League of Nations Council placed its hopes for the future in “ an enlightened and powerful public opinion, which would declare with the Covenant of .the League of Nations, that for tho common weal, for happiness, and for liberty and for an increased production of the things man needed there was but one way—that of justice.” A hearty vote of thanks was accorded Dr Elder, and tho Chairman expressed tho hope that the league would obtain the strong support of public opinion. It was. the duty, lie said, of university men to lead a public opinion into the channel of a covenant which was their great hope.