THE LEAGUE AND PEACE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19891, 9 March 1928, Page 11

THE LEAGUE AND PEACE

ADDREftft BY OFFICIAL.

SETTLEMENT OF DISPUTES. THE ARMAMENTS QUESTION: 'A very informative address on the more recent history of tha League of Nations was delivered last evening by Mr. J. Vivian Wilson, private secretary to the secretary-general of the League, who is* visiting Auckland. Mr. Wilson is r New Zealander, and was formerly a lecturer on the staff of Auckland University College. His address was given in the college hall under the auspices of the Auckland branch of the League of Nations Union and the Students' Association of the. college. Mr. E. C. Cutten, S.M., presided. Mr, Wilson began by referring to the changed attitude toward the League of several great Powers which formerly had been hostile to it. A few years ago, ha said, the traveller in Germany heard few remarks favourable to the League. Now Germany was a member of 18 months' standing. The United States still remained outside, but she co-operated with the League in nearly all its activities. In particular, the health work was carried on to a very large extent with funds from America. The Union of Soviet Republics formerly took every opportunity of decrying the League. However, Soviet Russia had so far changed its view of the League that it had been represented at the Economic and Disarmament Conferences, and its delegation to the latter had been headed by M. Litvinoff, Commissary for Foreign Affairs. Britain had stated definitely that her foreign policy was based upon the League, Fiance,, which had formerly regarded it as a product of "Wilsonien ideology," whatever that might be held to mean, now did not hesitate to mention her obligations to the League whenever any proposal seemed to contravene them. Germany was taking her share in the League's work, with charactesistic thoroughness. She had come to regard the honour of the League as her honour. This was a feeling common to many peoples, who felt the League was in a very real sense their own. Hostilities Stopped.

Speaking of the League's work for peace, Mr. Wilson pointed out that on three occasions at least its Council which was a microcosm of the world's political opinion, had prevented really imminent hostilities or had stopped them when they had actually begun. What , might i>e thought most remarkable was that the Foreign Ministers of the greater Powers could be, and were, called together iu tuch emergencies at the bidding of an official, the secretary-general of the League. In 1914 Sir "Edward Grey had used every means to bring about such a meeting, and had failed. Although the League's intervention between smaller Poweis had succeeded, some might ask whether it would be effective in such a crisis as that of 1914. : The council would certainly meet i£ any member exercised the right to summon it, and the parties to the dispute would'have to meet and state their case. When that happened, it could safely be said that the battle was half won. It was easy for foreign Ministers to burl ultimata by telegraph from their owu offices? it was a very different matter to state a case before the Council of the League and about 400 journalists, representing the press of the world. The psychology of the proceeding was entirely different. A general sentiment in favour of peace existed. _ Once it had been hard to mobilise: now it could, and did, make itself felt. There was every reason to expect that as the method had succeeded with smaller Powers, so it would with greater. It could not be denied that of late certain members of the League, ia the course of international disputes, had declared that they would have no interference from foreigners. This was certainly not in the spirit of the League. However, the League's obligations as a mediator were difficult to define; itf-did not claim/to be the only body that should settle disputes between nations. If they could be ended without the League's intervention, possibly so much the better. The most that couid be said at present was that each case must be considered, on its merits. Even so, what the League lost on the 1 swings is gained on the roundabouts. Many causes of friction were removed by unofficial conversations between foreign Ministers at the periodical meetings. He knew there had been criticism on the subject, but it was an important fact that the League provided a permanent meeting place for the settlement of differences. 1

Armaments and Security. It might be said that all tbis Mas only machinery and facilities foe diplomatic tight-rope walking, and tnat assured peace rested only upon the feelings of countries toward one another. Some observers declared that there was much intrigue at Geneva. Perhaps a certain amount went on, but it formed only ripples upon the current flowing toward peace and conciliation. In any negotiations success was won "by showing the spirit of conciliation and compromise, which was the spirit of the League. It was impossible to deny that profound' mistrust existed between certain nations, but there were groups, such as the British, the Scandinavian and tho United States and Canada within which war was for practical purposes impossible. The same might almost be said of the South American nations.

A measure of the League's success . in the cause of peace would be the progressive reduction of armaments. So far "its hard .work to this end had had no considerable final results. The attitude of the major Powers was: "We are not secure. Until we are we cannot decrease our armaments." Britain had declined to subscribe to the Geneva .Protocol. Nevertheless security was being advanced by the League. It was hoped that the Arms Conference, which would probably meet next year, would be successful; ip other words, that it would lead to a treaty providing for a slight general reduction in armaments. If it did, confidence would be further increased, and so the process would go on. In conclusion, Mr. Wilson said that public interest was necessary to support the League in its work. No one wished to see a return to the old system of alliances and the negation of confidence. The League's influence would increase with people's belief in it, and in its purpose, which was to bring to international relations the ordinary principles of decent human conduct. Mr. Wilson answered several questions, and was accorded a hearty vote of thanks by acclamation. "The chairman mentioned that the local branch of the League of Nations' Union had completely exhausted its funds. He appealed to members for a voluntary levy or'the enrolment of more subscribers.