STATE OF THE NATIONS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18887, 9 December 1924, Page 11

STATE OF THE NATIONS.

NOT MANY PROSPERING. .

THE GENEVA PROTOCOL. >

INTEREST TO AUSTRALIA.

AMERICA'S LONE HAND.

Very decided views as to the danger of ratification of the Geneva protocol byAustralia are held by the Hon. Walter M. Marks, of Sydney, -who arrived £5* the Niagara yesterday. Mr. Marks, who is accompanied by Mrs. Marks, is returning from an extended visit to Great Britain, the continental countries and tfif> United States.

So far as Australia was concerned, said Mr. Marks, she must refuse to ratify this protocol, because if she accepted it the" Japanese could raise the White Australia question at the next sitting of the League of Nations. As this question was one of a purely domestic nature, Australia could not allow any of the small foreign Powers with not even a slight knowledge of her conditions to settle for her what the internal policies of the country were to be on this question.

The promulgation of the Geneva protocol had certainly driven another nail in the coffiin of the United States joining the League of Nations, said Mr. Marks. He could see no possibility of America joining the League, for she .realised th» danger of being embroiled, for instance, in some small boundary dispute in which she had not the slightest interest. At the same time she realised- the pressure she could bring to bear by being outside the League, as shown by the Washington Treaty and the Dawes Report.

Efficiency in Germany. During the course of his extended tour Mr. Marks visited nine different countries and he remarked that, leaving the United States out of the question, Germany was the only nation tht was fully functioning. He travelled over 300*0 miles in Germany and was impressed by the high efficiency of the nation, the clean liness and orderliness of the cities, villages, streets and parks and the happy condition of the people. He found that they were well, but not luxuriously, dressed, and on all sides extremely courteous. One surprising factor was that from end to end of the country he noted a deep reverence for the British people. There was little if any unemployment in Germany, except perhaps down through the Ruhr, added Mr. Marks. He felt that the Dawes Report, would put Germany on her feet. But, with the open, free-trade door of Britain it would bring Great Britain to her knees. He pointed out the German factories were working at high pressure, (manufacturing goods of all descriptions, and she only required a market. It was obvious, therefore, that England was going to suffer. This was seen in the fact that the German tradesman was working 60 hours per week at an average of 6d per hour, while the British workman was dong 30 hours at approximately •Is 6d per hour. To his mind Germany was an object lesson to the world to-day.

British Unpopular in Franco. A most unpleasant feature noted in France was the prevailing hatred of the British engendered largely by the financial help extended to Germany by Great Britain and the United States. ." It was felt that the. Germans, who had caused the destruction of men, land and machinery in France, had been helped to regain their position while the French were still suffering, and no help was forthcoming. The French franc was going back in almost the same way as the mark and the people were in a pretty low state, while th 9 condition of the bulk of the French peasants was appalling. They were naturally asking when their turn for assistance I was coming.