The Hawera Star. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 1930. LEAGUE OF NATIONS ASSEMBLY

Hawera Star, Volume L, 18 September 1930, Page 4

The Hawera Star.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 1930. LEAGUE OF NATIONS ASSEMBLY

Delivered every evening by 6 o'olook in Hawora, Manaia, Kaupikonui. Otakeho. Oeo, Pihama. Opunake, Normanby. Okaiawa Eltliam, Ngaere, Mangratoki, Kaponga, Awatuna, Te Kiri, Mahoe, Lowgarth, Manutahi Kakaramea, Alton, Hurleyville Patea, Whenuakura, Waverley, Mokoia, Whakarnara, Ohangai Meremere, Fraßer Hoad, and Ararata-

The Assembly of the League of Nations, now sitting at Geneva, has settled down to business willinglj, cabled messages reporting an absence tatives of the smaller States. ” It apof “flowery platitudes from represenpoars somewhat doubtful whether the Assembly of the League is going to come to practical grips at this stage with M. Briandbs favourite scheme, for a United States of Europe. With the exception of a few of the minor States, there has never been a great display of eagerness among the nations of Europe to accept M. Briand’s plan. Such results as it might achieve, m the removal of trade barriers and the creation of greater European co-operation, are already being worked for by the various departments of the League, with the difference that the League takes into consideration the interests of other States than those situated in Europe. In the economic sphere it is interesting to find again demonstrated the reluctance of the nations, some of which actually pay lip service to M. Briand’s ideal, to take a definite step towards European trade co-operation by rar.ific.it.on of the tariff truce convention. The president of the British Board of Trade, Mr William Graham, has again made an appeal on behalf of the aims of the convention in unifying tariffs, and has been forced to admit tthat there seems to bo little hope of a general tariff reduction at present. Although the Assembly lias, for the most part, merely been receiving and noting progress reports, as they may be termed, on the operations of the League; a solution lias been reached of one outstanding problem. The agreement reached by the Council that the forces protecting the railways in the Saar basin are to be withdrawn is a gratifying tribute to the value of the

League as a go-between in international politics. By the Treaty of Versailles, France obtained possession of the coal mines in the Saar territory in compensation for French coal mines which had been temporarily put out of action in the war zone in northern Franco. The Treaty provides that the ultimate destiny of the territory shall be settled by a plebiscite in 1935, on the same date that the Allied occupation of the Rhineland was to have been terminated. The early withdrawal of the troops in the Rhineland naturally led to a suggestion that the French troops in the Saar should also be withdrawn before the stipulated date. But although the Saar has now ceased to be necessary to France, with- the re-open-ing of her own coal mines, and although there has never really been any doubt that the plebiscite will declare in favour of German rule, parleys on the question were hold botwee France and Germany iwithout result, and were finally broken off. The actual reason for failure to agree on: the fate of the Saar appears to have been that French industry was fearful that its investments of capital in the mines might count for nought if German ownership of the territory were recognised, while the Germans feared that France might retain a permanent lien upon! the Saar mines even after the territory was returned to them. Thus an impasse was created which undeniably was productive of mutual ill-feeling and threatened a hitch in the programme -of international co-operation which flic League has at heart. The settlement of the problem in a. manner that is satisfactory both to M. Briand and to the German Foreign Minister, Dr. Curtius, reflects credit upon the competence of the League to play the part of mediator on ■ questions of international significance.