MUCH ACHIEVED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22949, 29 January 1938, Page 13

MUCH ACHIEVED

LEAGUE OF NATIONS MR. EDEN'S APPEAL CO-OPERATION OF NATIONS By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright British Wireless - RUGBY, Jan. 27 At the public meeting of the Council of the League of Nations at Geneva, the British Foreign Secretary, Mr. Eden, said the League could legitimately be proud of its achievements, but there could be no advantage in shutting their eyes to certain events, however regrettable and however much they might deplore them. By the defection of some of the more important of its members the League was now faced with the fact that thp area of co-operation was restricted and its ability to fulfil all the functions originally contemplated for it was thereby reduced.

After reiterating the principles upon which the League w® founded, Mr. Eden added that the British Government believed that true peace and orderly progress and prosperity could not be looked for in the world unless all the nations co-operated in eome system based upon those principles. British Support Emphasised

"For the moment," said Mr. Eden, "we must realise that in the present circumstances the League is not in a position to achieve all that it hoped for, but Britain believes that the League, in spite of its limitation?, is the best instrument that has yet been devised for giving effect to the principles of international co-operation, and is, therefore, determined to keep it in existence and to give it her full support." Britain would welcome co-operation in the work of the League by nonmembers and did not regard her membership as preventing or hindering friendly relations with non-members. She was also resolved that the League should not become the home of any ideology except that of peace and inter' national co-operation. Mr. Jordan's Statement

The rest of the speeches were on similar lines to Mr. Eden's except that of Dr. Wellington Koo (China), who outspokenly said the League's prestige and authority were never at such a low ebb.

The New Zealand delegate, Mr. W. J. Jordan, forthrightly declared: "I say in the strongest manner that, in spite of all that has happened sinc«> 1936, our faith in League ideals, as embodied in the Covenant, remains as strong as ever." *