LEAGUE OF NATIONS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19980, 23 December 1926, Page 15

LEAGUE OF NATIONS.

I.'SNEE TO DELEGATES

SPEECH BY LORD GREY.

BRITAIN’S FOREIGN POLICY,

(From C.t Own Correspondent.) LONDON, November 4,

In honour of the dominion Prime Ministers and the British and dominion delegates to the Seventh Assembly of the League of Nations, the League of Nations Union gave a dinner at the Hotel Cecil on November 2. There were a number of well-known people present, and once again the hosts adopted the happy arrangement of placing their guests at small round or oval tables —43 tables on this occasion—each having seating for from eight to 12 people. At each there was a host or hostess. These included; Major J. W. Hills, M.P. . (chairman), Lady Chelmsford, Lady Clarendon, Lady Lukin, the Duchess of Atholl, Lady Valda Machell, Lady Denbigh, Lady Beatrice OrmsbyGore, Mrs Hilton- Young, Lady Selborne, Lady Hall, Lady Denman, Mrs Philip Snowden, Lady Swaythliug, Lady Oxford and Asquith, Lady Bryce, Lady Henderson, Lady Gough, Lady Violent BonhatpCarter, Mrs Anstruther, Mrs Wintringhan, Lady Beit, Senor Ruir, Lady Dickinson, Sir John Mann, Lady Gough, Lady Malcolm, Dame Adelaide Livingstone, and a number more. The guests at Lady Lukins table included: The Viscount Cecil of Chelwood (who had at his right hand the Prime Minister of New Zealand), Mrs Coates, Sir J. and Lady Parr, Earl Buxton and Lady Macdonough. Sir Francis 801 l and Miss Bell were at Lady Gough’s .table. Sir Thomas Mackenzie and Mrs A. V. M'Donald were with Lady Bryce. Among others one particularly noticed Lord Balfour, seated next to the Duchess of Atholl; Dame Adelaide Anderson, Lord and Lady Chelmsford,J?ir Alan and Lady Cohham, The Viscount and Viscountess Grey, Sir N. Howse, Sir E. Iliffe, Sir F. and Lady Newton. " ORIGIN OF THE LEAGUE.

The toast of “The League of Nations”, was proposed by Lord Grey of Falloden, tfho said that the men who made peace in 1919 were so mucn impressed by the calamity of the Great War that they felt it essential to make some new international arrangement which would mean for future generations greater security against war than the world had ever known before. That was how the League of Nations came into existence, and now the League was growing in prestige year by year, while its meetings were absorbing the attention of the world more and more People asked themselves, was the League going to realise the hopes and intention on which it was founded? To gauge whether the League of Nations was sue-, ceeding it was necessary to have a just and sound appreciation of the causes of the Great War. Unless they knew the causes of an evil they could not be sure that the means they were taking to prevent its recurrence were the right ones. He had nothing to qualify in anything he had said about the baneful influence of the military force in Germany in the weeks and ihontha which preceded the outbreak of war ' in 1914. But the more he reflected on the past the mor» he was convinced that propaganda, and perhaps still more counter propaganda, to fix the war guilt on any "one nation did not reveal, but,, on the contrary obscured the root cause of the last war, which was the condition of things which had been growing up for generations in Europe. POWERS WITH COMPETING ARMAMENTS. It was the division of Europe into groups of Powers each with competing armaments. If that condition recurred the consequences "would be the same, and war again would be the outcome. It might not be the work of German militarists, but it would be some militarists. The first and foremost aim in the League of Nations was to prevent Europe falling into separate and opposing groups, and this year a great stride had been made in that direction by the entry of Germany into the League. “ “There is one more stop wanted,” Lord Grey continued, “in order to consummate the work of the League in preventing any grouping in Europe, and that is when Russia comes to a normal condition, and, like normal people, prefers peace not trouble, and she, too. enters the League of Nations.” Groat strides in that direction had been made by the entrance of Germany into the League. FOREIGN POLICY AND THE DOMINIONS. Without the co-operation of the British Government (Lord continued), as of other Governments of first-rate importance in Europe, this progress could not have been made, and the part which the British Government had taken had been a great contribution to securing the future peace of Europe. What interest had the selfgoverning dominions of the British Commonwealth of Nations in the peace of Europe? Their interest was really that of preserving the British Commonwealth of Nations. He would not have it supposed that British public opinion wms suggesting, _ or even asking that the self-governing dominions should undertake special obligations with regard to European questions, or even share the particular obligations which the British Government found it necessary to undertake as regarded Locarno. “For any self-governing pgrt of the British Commonwealth,” Lord Grey remarked, “to- undertake an obligation reluctantly or half-heartedly would be a step towards disintegration, and not towards union.—(Cheers.) It was not that which we have in mind when we say that the peace of Europe is so important to the British Commonwealth of Nations. But what we do feel is this, that the foreign policy of the British Government in IJurope should be continuallv exnlained to every part of the British Empire, that by consultation, explanation, and information, fully, amply and promptly given, every self-governing dominion in the Empire should know exactly what the British Government is doing. If that is done, we believe that they will sympathise with that policy, that thev will believe its motives to be singleminded and that they will appreciate the reasons for what the British Government docs in Europe and see the necessity of some things which, without explanation, would not bo self-evident.” MR CLYNES ON NEED OF PEACE. Mr J. R. Clynes, M.P.. supporting the toast, said that there must be something in what they were advocating when a distinguished peer like Lord Grey and a Socialist acted together for one purpose in the presence of quite a number of the leaders of the Conservative Party.— Laughter and cheers.) All parties had combined during the war and had fought together in the war, and now he wanteo to see men and women of all political parties going forward on the road to peace and supporting the of Nations Men hated to see bloodshed m the streets, and condemned sport which meant the kil - ing of animals, and yet they looked with complacency upon the present conditions in the world, m which millions of men wore oeing trained to perfection so that they would bo able to hack each other to P TREMENDOUS STRIDES IN SEVEN YEARS. The Prime Minister of Australia regarded the union of Lord Grey and Mr Clynes as symbolical of the whole foundation upon which the League rested to-day, and upon which the whole of the future depended. Lord Grey was a great statesman who had directed foreign affairs with a skill that had endeared his name to the whole of the British people throughout the world. Mr Clynes was possibly more closely associated with those men and women whose future lives and happiness depended upon the realisation of the great ideals for which the League of Nations stood He believed that the influence for good was very much greater when the voice was not that of Britain alone, but the voice of a united Empire standing for the great ideals of peace and happiness throughout the world. —(Cheers.) He did not think anyone could reflect on what had taken place in the last seven 'years without realising the tremendous strides which the League had made, particularly in prestige and authority, throughout the world. They had the encouraging fact that Germany was now inside the League, and he wished to endorse Lord Grey’s desire to see Russia once more restored to a basis of stable government With the universal recognition of its great objective by all the nations of the world, however, it was not too much to hope that, if not in their day, in future generations, it would bring that groat blessing of world peace and mutual understanding between nations that must be the desire of every thinking man, and particularly of those who passed through the hideous tragedy of | the war. The great stumbling-block in the I way of a common foreign policy * the I Empire buj been the obligation which Britain had had to assume as a nation in

regard to all that might happen on the Continent of Europe. The dominions were inclined to ask why they could not take up a position of glorious isolation, detached from anything that happened in Europe. Surely the solution lay inside the League of Nations. They all know that Great Britain, if she was to be a great nation and a leader of the nations of the world, had to play her part and give a lead in all great and serious questions, and she had done it, and shouldered her obligations. He belivcd the future was bright and that the League would accomplish great things in the years to come, but they must not expect it to settle all the problems of the world in a few short years. Nevertheless, future generations were going to derive great blessings from a world’s peace. THE WILL TO SUCCEED. Lord Cecil of Chelwood (in submitting the toast of “Our Oversea Visitors”) believed he was the only man living who had had the honour of representing both one of the dominions and the Mother Country at the Assembly of the League of Nations, and, he said; ‘T would point out that I was much happier when I represented one of the dominions.”—(Laughter.) _ The British Empire had a special function in the League of Nations Their delegations brought not only commonsense, toierance, and a sense of fair play, but, what was more valuable still, the will to succeed in the work of the League, the will to make whatever organisation or institution they were concerned with achieve the purpose for which it was created. That was a quality; it was the quality by which more than by anything less the British Empire had come into existence, and it was the quality which most of all was wanted in the League of Nations. He urged that the essential task before the League, and one which was of vital importance for its success, was the reduction and limitation of armaments. It was a task of great difficulty, and would require the energies of all parts of the British Empire. He was sure that in spite of all the difficulties it could be accomplished and that it could only be accomplished if the British Empire and all its delegation worked earnestly and heartily for it and showed that they were really in earnest in pursuing the greatest task that could be put upon the shoulders of men. NEW ZEALAND STANDS SOLID. The Prime Minister of New Zealand said he felt proud to be present to respond to the toast; it was pleasant to recognise the handsome and whole-heartd work which Lord Cecil had performed. All knew that Lord Cecil had the promotion and welfare of the League sincerely at heart. Everyone throughout the Empire trusted him and believed that he would carry on that work to a succ issful issue. They all knew that the work m front of him was a mighty work. At the moment representatives of the Empire were meeting in England round this conference table; many of them had different opinions and different ideas, but all were keen and anxious to work together to make the British Empire greater and happier. Each one was anxious to i nderstand the other fellow’s point of view, and so it was, he thought, inevitable that the British Empire in the very nature of things would play an important part in endeavouring to bring about the understanding that they all desired among all nations of the world. It might he, as Lord Cecil had said, that many of the characteristics that went to make ap the British Emnire and peoples within the Empire were characteristics that were essential to the work that they had in front of them. It was perhaps in the region of finance that the League had done its finest work. No one who was familiar with the financial condition of Austria and Hungary after the war could do other than admire the extremely valuable results obtained under the guidance ot the League during the reconstruction period. (“Hear, hear.”) Another successful piece of work, more or less in the region of finance, had been the settlement in Greece of Greek refugees from Asia Minor. Those refugees fled from before the Turkish armies, and the League had been responsible for the supervision of their absorption and settlement in Greece. . Referring to the entry of Germany into the League, Mr Coates expressed the hope that the United States would also enter it in the near future. hew, if any, doubted that American ideals were identical with those of the League. There was much educational work to be none in connection with the task of the League of Nations, as in all great world movements for the betterment of humanity, and an organisation such as the League of Nations Union could render valuable assistance in that direction. All humanity longed to see the ideals of the league of Nations triumph. The terrible loss of life and property in the late war, and the after effects, upon the nations must not be repeated if anything could be clone to avert it. ttie League and its supporters stood for tne substitution of the only alternative methods for the prevention of future resorts to arms in the settlement of international disputes. And that was the highest work, that man could do. The British Empire desired peace. The whole spirit of the-Empire was tor peace. Since the war, it had setded down to develop its resources, and the Impel lal Conference was dealing entirely with matters of this description.. Now they vvanted to see the nation utilising to the full ti i great endowments with which it had been entrusted. New Zealand stands solidly behind the League.—(Applause.). She rcognised the good work that it had done, and recognised the assistance that, it would require in the future. That assistance would be forthcoming so far as his country was concerned. New Zealand stood ready to fake every step and to afford every encouragement that may forward the interests of the League, and the attainment of its ultimate goal in so far as_these did not impair the interests ot the British Empire. HOPES OF AN AVIATOR. Sir Alan Cobham expressed his conviction that flying and development of aviation were going to do a great deal to help the League of Nations. For one thing aviation would speed up transport. Some years ago he had had the honour to pilot the Director of Aviation to a competition of flying in Sweden. Kn route from Kent they flew over trance, tlanders, Holland, Gernirny, and, Denmark before reaching Sweden. During that night of seven .hours they had crossed six different frontiers, whose countrymen all spoke different languages. There would not now have been all these different tongues it the League of Nations had been m existence a thousand years, ago. It was through isolation and lack of intercourse that many grievances between nations had spiiuM. Aviation was closely allied to the objects of the League of Nations. Just lately a party of aviators had assembled at a restaurant in Brussels. There were two Englishmen, three Germans, two brenchmen, two Italians, a couple of Dutchmen, and representatives of other countries as well. They were all talking the same tongue, all happy under the one flag—namely, the Flag of Flying. He did not think there was any other profession that could have brought men so intimately together and made them, such good comrades. Aviation was going to do a great deal to make countries and peoples intermix, so that they should get to understand each other’s ideas and bring about a closer unity. Flying had no ancient tradition but before long the vast, distances of the fempire would bo finished —in the matter of distance. The actual distances would remain. but when it c?me to the matter of time, Australia would bo as near to England as Egypt was to-dny. All these countries far distant would visit one another more frequently, and he hoped in that way that aviation was going to accomplish a little towards the ideals of the League of Nations.—(Cheers.) ■ Mr A. B. Monne (Minister without Portfolio Newfoundland) said the success of the Imperial Conference showed that when the Empire could accommodate its own troubles it could be powerful in accommodating the greater troubles of the world. The Maharajah of Burdwan proposed the toast of “The Chairman,” to which Major Hills briefly replied. SIR AUSTEN CHAMBERLAIN IN GLASGOW. Sir Austen Chamberlain, M.P., the Foreign Secretary, was installed as Lord Rector of Glasgow University, before an audience of nearly 5000, in St. Andrew’s Hall, the largest in the city. All but 30 years ago, he said, his father had stood in that place to return thanks for the same honour. Those 30 years had witnessed great revolutions, and nowhere had the changes bean greater than in international affairs The League of Nations, not yet seven yeais old, had grown, not merely in numbers, but in unity and strength. He confessed, however, that he had watched with anxiety some recent indications that the mutual trust and confidence which should exist between the Council and the Assembly of the League were not yet fully assured He was the first to admit that the peculiar circumstances surrounding the special Assembly last March placed both Council and Assembly in an invidious position, but the circumstances were wholly exceptional. The conditions of Germany’s entry into the League were in question, and if the methods employed were open to criticism this was wholly due to the inherent difficulties of

an exceptionally delicate situation and to a concatenation of circumstances which it might he hoped would never recur. But the difficulty went deeper. It did not. m fact, originate in, nor had it passed’wholly into history with, the events of March. UNDERCURRENT OF JEALOUSY. “No one.” he went on, “who has carefully watched the birth and growth of the League can fail to notice that from the beginning there has been a certain undercurrent of jealousy of the position ascribed by the Covenant to the Great Powers, or, as they were designated in a phrase which was thought less susceptible of an invidious interpretation, the Powers with general interests. I would beg those who have allowed themselves to be influenced by this feeling to consider whither it would lead them, and what the consequences of its cultivation must he for the League.” The immediate need of the day was not for some giant superstructure, superimposed upon the Covenant of the League; it was for agreements among those nations whose quarrels in the past had disturbed the peace of the world which might serve to underpin and sustain the existing building. Such he claimed to be the Treaty of Locarno. The policy embodied in that treaty was now one of the bulwarks of European peace and of- tha League’s authority. “A new spirit ia abroad in the world,” he said finally. “Through blood and tears we have travelled thus far. Soon we shall commit to a younger generation the care of the lamp once more dimly burning within tile Temple ofi Peace.”