ASSEMBLY OF THE LEAGUE

Hawera Star, Volume LIII, 26 September 1933, Page 7

ASSEMBLY OF THE LEAGUE

Review of World Outlook LACK OF UNDERSTANDING Relations Between Powers ELECTION OP NEW PRESIDENT. SOUTH AFRICA SURPRISES (British Official Wireless.) Received 2.15 p.m. to-day. RUGBY, Sept. 25. The fourteenth meeting of the League of Nations Assembly opened at Geneva to-day under the presidency of the Norwegian Premier, Mr Ludwig Mowinekel. In a brief speech the newly-elected president Mr O. T te Water (South Africa) said that South Africa had known war and experienced all its bitterness, but in latter days peace had obliterated the past and he offered betas an example to some of the greater nations. “I shall bring to- my task the valuable experience of the young nations that comprise the British Commonwealth. There are no nations more determined to keep the peace than that group,” he said. Mr Mowinekel reviewed the world outlook. He expressed keen regret that since the Great War little progress had been made toward securing better understanding between peoples. On the contrary fear of the possibility of war was ever hanging as a. constant menace over the future of the nations. It was natural but wholly unfair to blame the League and it was the primary duty of tire League members to strengthen the credit of the League in the eyes of the world. Referring to the World Economic Conference and the Disarmament Conference, he said that if the nations came to such conferences with views that were difficult to recone de is might be said in advance that favourable results could not be reached, even if all the other powers were agreed. He expressed hope in the Four-Power Pact as an instrument appeasing the Franco-German differences and possibly bringing understanding and even friendship in a torn and divided Europe. Mr. te Water was elected president of the Assembly by 53 to 30 votes. The election of Mr te Water to the presidency was the biggest surprise in the history of the assembly openings and the first, time the voting went totally against all expectations. Mr te Waters’ election nonplussed the secretariat because, despite English being the official language with French, all the president’s instructions were in French and immediate translation for the incoming .president was necessary. No speech' was- prepared. The election means that Africa no longer contemplates opposing Australia on the council. Mr to Waters’ election was- mainly due to the Mexican candidate’s inability to speak English or French. Moreover the Mexicans threatened to leave the League if not elected, -which annoyed several Powers. The assembly opened listlessly. Interest centres "in the disarmament discussions. Sir John Simon and Captain R. A. Eden had a long meeting with the Dominion delegates, which, was almost entirely devoted to disarmament. The “Sun” service learns that Sir John Simon declared himself more _ optimistic than for a considerable time. The French were prepared for a much greater advance than w r as expected and informed him that any convention was better thus than none, because of the failure to loosen the flood of rearmament. Sir John pointed; out that Germany wanted a convention, but Baron Von’ Neurath insisted, it must be a convention to which Germany oonld subscribe because she wanted honestly to fulfil it. Sir John told the Dominion delegates that the improved French-Italian .situation was. an important augury. Britain has invited the Dominions delegates, to meet to discuss _ the League costs, with a view to raising the budget commission and the question of added costs of .subscriptions from countries off gold. Apart from Herr Goebells’ arrival with a bodyguard of fifteen stalwarts, the opening of the assembly was devoid of incident. Germahs and Austrians occupy a front row. Japan for the first time since the League was formed has not sent a delegation- and is represented l by a single observer

With the object' of being remote from the centre of things, the Germans changed their hotel, staying at the far end of Geneva. The hotel is guarded tlav and night by Swiss police in addition to the delegation’s own plain clothe® bodyguard. The Austrian Chancellor, Dr. DoTlfn.ss. also is strongly guarded. The formation of his new Ministry necessitates his return to Vienna on Thursday.