LEAGUE OF NATIONS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18676, 4 October 1922, Page 7

LEAGUE OF NATIONS

SOLID ACHIEVEMENT. MR JUSTICE RICK’S VIEWS. OPTIMISM REGARDING FUTURE. Proas Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. LONDON, October 2. Mr Justice Rich is most optimistic regarding the future of the League of Nations, which he confessed he regarded at first as an ideal which could not be accomplished ; but the recent sittings had much solid achievement placed to their credit, such as the advance towards disarmament, the admission of Hungary (the more countries admitted the better it would he for the League), the assistance given to Austria, and, lastly, the indication which had been given of how the League_ intended to intervene where possible hi international disputes. ' This was shown in connection with the action which the League took in the present Turkish trouble, , Mr Justice Rich paid a warm tribute to the enthusiasm and sincerity of Lord Robert Cecil, which, combined with his complete legal training, set him among the most prominent figures of the conference. Mr Justice Rich was also impressed with the grasp of public, diplomatic, and' political subjects shown by Prince Rangitsinhji. Mr Justice ,Rich said that Germany should certainly ho admitted _ to the League. Then, if America the League would have sufficient moral influence without armed force to sit heavily on the head of anv nation which kicked over the traces. As iudicial Questions frequently cropped up. bp recommended that legal advisers should accompany the future Australian and New Zealand delegations. Sir Joseph Cook, in the course of an interview, said he was of opinion that the League was already proving itself increasingly valuable. Though it was formed ostensibly to maintain a. peace already made at Versailles, it had had to devote itself actually to making peace where none existed. The League had won its spurs already bv its intervention in Upper Silesia. He believed that the recent Assembly bad been well worth while if onlv for the steps which had been taken for the rehabilitation of Austria. Without the League, the various Powers would have haggled for an opportunity of helping Austria financially, but as payment therefore thev would practically have taken control, which would have tended to international discord and possibly war. The League could hardly take over the Near East situation at the present hmeture. No peace had been made witn lurkev. and there could not be two sets of negotiations operating simultaneously. He hoped eventually that the contending nations would accept the Rritish view, and favour handinfr over the centre! of Straits to the League.—A. and N.Z. Cable.

SIR JAMBS ALLEN INTERVIEWED. A CAUTIOUS POLICY. LONDON. October 2. Sir James Allen, in an interview, compared the first and second years’ work of the League of Nations. He said that he noticed "this year sortie recrudescence of the Super-State idea though in a modified form, .An example of this was the suggestion that the League should control the Dardanelles, which clearly was impossible unless the League had some functions of a State. The League was without an army and navy, and if anv attempt were made to force the Dardanelles it would be obliged to appeal to some of the Powers to aHst it to carry out Its suggested responsibilities in connection with keeping the Straits open. In its technical organisation the League was tending to expand rather too rapidly. 1 Many of the schemes were good in themselves, hut the expense seemed more than the finances of the League at present instilled. The League also seemed to hebe.enmin" a receptacle for all the p-oblems. which the Powers could not usefully.tackle. This tendency gave tho Lea "no plenty of opportunities, and if H could manarre to settle some of these diffenlUes it would certainly he a feather in the League’s cap.—A. and N.Z. Cable--1 DOMINIONS’ MANDATES. LONDON, October 2. Mr Justice Rich, who is returning from Geneva, says that the Mandates Commission had not thoroughly grasped the conditions under which Australia and New Zealand were administering the Islands.— A. and N.Z. Cable.