LEAGUE OF NATIONS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19124, 19 March 1924, Page 4

LEAGUE OF NATIONS.

DUNEDIN BRANCH OF UNION. ' A SUCCESSFUL “'AT HOME.” An “At Home” organised by tho League of Nations Union was held in tho Art Gallery Hall lust evening, and was attended b- about 150 members and friends. Tho Mayor (Mr H. L. 'Tapley) presided, and the hostesses were Lady Ferguson, the Mayoress, and the Mayoress of Tort Chalmers. Tho proceedings were of an unusually sociable nature, instruction being combined with entertainment, and tho impression left on tho mind of the observer was that gatherings of the kind must do a great deal to further interest in ino union, and through it in tho league. Mr Begg’s orchestra made valuable contributions to the programme; Mrs Herbert Watson, Mr Alec. Snell (songsl, and Miss Winnie Beck (recitation! also assisted in a. manner that was greatly appreciated. Madame Riggardio accompanied. Placed about the stage were copies of ingenious drawings by Japanese school children symbolic of some feature of the League and its activities. In formally opening the function, the Mayor, who is vice-patron of the Dunedin branch of the union, referred briefly to th“ objects of the League of Nations, stressing tbe great advantage it would bo for civilisation if international disputes were settled in an amicable way. llis Worship also referred to tho necessity for stimulaung public. interest in the League in every country so that the policies of those in control ol affairs would be influenced in the right direction. The League of Nations I nion was represented in 33 countries; tho union in Great Britain represented 350,000 individuals—an increase of 100,000 in tbe last year. There was a branch in each of the main centres in this dominion, and Dunedin’s was the best organised.—(Appl(iuse.) For the sum of a shilling, five shillings, or a. guinea a year one could join the .union, so that there was really no reason whv almost every citizen in Dunedin shoulo not become a member. The Mayor concluded with ah appeal for a strong public interest in a practical form in the movement.

MB STATHAM’S ADVOCACY

The orchestra having given a selection. t,ho linn. C. E. Statham, was called upon to deliver an address on “The I ohtioal Achievements of tho League. After tiaversing the movements that had led up to tho formation of tho League, Mr Statham referred to the Treaty of Versailles, it had been said that this was “a very human document’ ; however, embodying provision for the League of Nations in ils covenant, tho Treaty had become an accomplished fact. To begin with, tho provisions of tho League gave a nation time to consider before it rushed into war. And there was provision for the inclusion, on the votes of two-ibirds of the present representatives of other nations outside tho League. At present there were no fewer than 54 nations in the League, representing three-quarters of tho world's population. One often heard it said that tho League was a very expensive organisation and that it did not do enough work for the money it cost to maintain But the present expenses of the 1 ea"ue did not exceed E 11.000 ,000 per anmun, and towards that tho British Empire contributed only fiSO.OCO. Ho thought that £BO,OOO was not a groat deal to spend it, by so doing, the Empire was gome- to hep to preserve peace and restore prosperity to the world.— (Applause.) Already the League bad done a great deal to preserve peace ami ho believed that it would yet do a’great deal more. Besides its object of preserving international harmony, the League strove to do humanitarian work of a different sort. It provided its members with sacred trusts in regard to the development of undeveloped nations. Eor example, Now Zealand had a sacred trust in Samoa. Ihe League aimed at tho protection of women and children throughout tho world, and there were other provisions for. the improvement of tho labour conditions throughout the world. Recently, at tho instance of the League Council, iho Jimperor of Japan had agreed to prohibit the employment or children at farm work during school hours, and only conditionally alter school hours.— (Applause.) An earnest effort was being made to mitigate international suffering and privations; another object was tho facilitating of international communication by doing away with annoying customs and rules, thus encouraging trade. Thackeray had said that the greatest war the world would see would be tho war of tho Customs House, and the high uiriirwalls that countries were at present building up showed the importance that trade tendencies played in the world's affairs. Another provision in the covenant w«ss that private treaties between members must be registered, so that there would be no secret treaties as m the past. ... Ho had been asked, continued Mr Statham, to speak on the successes of the League, hut, while tho organisation had done a gooti deal to prevent trouble, he thought that the biggest success of the ■ League was its existence. The fact that great nations such as Britain and Franco were members and were doing their best to prevent wars, rtmst of necessity a great deal for the peace of the world. To say that the organisation of the League was unnecessary in view of those nations apparent desire for peace was equivalent t.o arguing that the police should be dispensed with because there was not enough work for them. The League of Nations was in a similar position lo that of iho police and the public. If any member refused to act up to ihe covenant it had signed the others would combine to use economic pressure, and, after that, if necessary, to use act ual ioree. Coming to some of tho achievements of the League in a international sense, Mr Statham spoke of tho Aalaud Islands disputes between Swedes and Finland, of the I’oland-Lilhuania trouble, and of the dispute between Britain and France, in relation to L'pper Silesia, and of the Servian invasion of Albania. The speaker also gave snmo prominence to tin; League's other activities, dealing particularly with the economic rehabilitation of Austria. People might ask % ho said, why help an enemy country? They had to remember that they could not live to themselves, and. apart from the" humanitarian aspect, Austria's depression meant depression to other countries. The work of tho League was going on steadily, proceeded Mr Statham. At tho annual conference in June very important matters were to he discussed, and as tho improvement of world-wide labour conditions—as important in a sense as the prevention of wars—wireless development, trade relations, tariffs, and so on. In conclusion. Mr Statham remarked that bo thought the objects of (he League were such as to make all do everything possible to help the movement. (Applause.) Ho reminded them that, although it was only small wars that the League had stopped. It was out of a small war that the Great

War had sprung. HUMANITARIAN activities. Al this singe an enjoyable supper was served. When lIIc proceedings wrro resumed Dr Thompson tonic the chair for the Mayor, who had another engagement. Miss M. H. King was the next, speaker, “Tho Humanitarian Attainments of th« League" engaging her attention. Iter deelaration that the true war was that v.-om-d on ignorance, suffering, ami vice was Imullv applauded. It was her opinion that the Lea pne eonld do a pro at deal in the restoration of order from the chaos fnllowin'T a. great disaster such os tho Japanese earthquake. Referring to the diseases that ravaged Sold hern Europe two years ago, Aliss King said (hot they were directly Iraeeahlo to the. results of war. Under tne> auspices of the League there had been an organisation to fight the onthreaks. and they had been stopned, and the health of tho ’•ns; of Europe was sound. Now the League was disseminating to governments from time to time the latest advices as to the he=l methods of preventing and fighting epidemics. The League had done a great deal towards the succour of the. siarvmg peoples of Eastern Europe, and of tho refugees from Smyrna and Asia Minor. Miss King read an" extract to show that 10.0 CD of those people-as many as possible with the funds available—wore placed on their feet again and made self-support,ing. Tho British’ taxpayer paid 2{,d per head for the support of the League; £63 out of evo r y £IOO paid in taxation was for war purmrses. The League of Nations cost as much to ~nin as a battleship for a year. She I,nought that Britain was spending something like £120.000,000 per annum on war proparations; for that- sum she, eonld run 120 Leagues of Nations. Miss King next went into some figures showing the extent of the drug traffic in China and Europe and America, stating that tho League was endeavouring to discover tho world's normal requirements of noxfous drugs and to limit, the production to that quantity.—(Applause.) And the League, was taking active stops to cope with'tho white slave trafiie. Perhaps they did not realise that in other less fortunate countries there wore thousands of women for whom a virtuous Hie. was by no means easy. Surely, if (he League did something to ameliorate those conditions it. merited the support of every iiis.ii and woman in this country. — (Applause.) Concluding. Miss King reminded hoc hearers that with, low exceptions

every activity engaging the attention of tho League had had its source in tho war. In a stirring appeal for interest in and support to the union, she raid that if future wars and their concomitant- horrors were prevented, the League would have done tho greatest, humanitarian work that Was possible.—(Loud applause.) At the conclusion of the proceedings Dr Thompson moved a vole of thanks to those who had come forward in an honorary capacity to assist at the gathering. lie specially mentioned Airs Leeeli for her part in tho organisation of the affair.