LEAGUE OF NATIONS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 8 September 1925, Page 9

LEAGUE OF NATIONS.

OPENING SPEECH

FRENCH LOYALTY AFFIRMED. CANADIAN ELECTED PRESIDENT. UY GABLE—PRESS ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT. Received Sept. 8, 1.35 p.m. GENEVA, Sept. 7. M. Painleve, in Jus presidential address to the League Assembly, solemnly affirmed France's respect for the League and her unreserved acceptance of the principle of arbitration. He foreshadowed a continuation of the discussions oh arbitration, security and disarmament, a policy which could only be carried out in the course of time by patient and constant endeavour. He paid tribute to America’s unofficial cooperation with the League, and hoped to see Germany join. He concluded hy expressing the opinion that nothing should discourage the efforts for peace. L'iie words “Hope,” “Veneure” and “Persevere” should hover over the proceedings of the assembly as an invisible spirit, inspiring confidence. The Canadian Senator, Raoul Dandurand, was elected President.—Reuter.

BRIEF AND. TAME. SESSION OF THE ASSEMBLY. MG ISSUES NOT TO BE DISCUSSED Received Sep. 8, 2.20 p.m. GENEVA, Sep. 7. Even .this early iii the League’s proceedings .there is a genertal expectation chat it will be the' briefest and tamest since its inception. Nobody expects a full dress debate on the protocol or an active continuation of the discussions arising therefrom, though some headway in arbitration i« possible, but it is most significant that Mr. Ainery is going to London on Wednesday, and Mr. Chamberlain on Friday. The latter’s departure destroys all grounds for the hope that the session will yield concrete results, either on security or arbitration.

In this connection, M. Plainleveis opening (Speech contained an illuminating passage emphasising the different mentality of the Latin and AngloSaxon iaoes, the former beginning on abstract principle's and passing from generalities to details, and the latter proceeding from individual concrete cases to • generalisations and being strongly averse to vague principles’ when he cannot discern the facts on which they are based. M. Painleve was .sanguine that they would yet meet after traversing different paths, which might respectively be called analytical and 'synthetical. Geneva is ait present full of rumours. Mr. Chamberlain, M.M. Painleve, Briiand and Biandervelde, so far, are breading common ground.. They invited Dr. Sltre&emann to come to Geneva at the end of ibhe month, or. early in October, but well informed circles hint that Dr. Stresemann. has not been invited and that a conference will bo held in another place than Geneva, probably three weeks ihenoe. Till this is done there can be little chance of the Assembly making much headway on disarmament questions, therefore the chief items on the agenda paper are shorn of their interest. It is expected that the biggest debates will be on slavery and loans to mandated territory. Sir Joseph Cfaok takes his seat on the seventh committee, appointed to deal with supplementary questions. New Zealand is repesented on committees as follows: Sir James Allen, first, third and fourth, Mr Gray, fourth and sixth, Mr. Knowles, second and fifth. Mr. Gray will specially deal with mandates. Sir James "Allen .is interviewing Dr. Spahlmger to-night.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.