THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20473, 30 July 1928, Page 7

THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —Your correspondent " Citizen " in his letter of the 25th inst., does not seem to be very cheery about the result of the work of the League of Nations. He says that " up to the present the League has utterly failed to bring about disarmament, the main factor to bring about peace has failed." In making this statement does not " Citizen" put the cart before the horse? When peace and goodwill are assured, then the nations will disarm of their own motion. Speaking on this matter in the House of Lords on June 19 Lord Cushendun said: "The question was surrounded with great difficulties, but he did not despair. He repudiated the suggestion that Britain was obstructive. On the contrary, she led the van in disarmament, arbitration, and conciliation. The disagreements were so deep rooted, that it was impossible to expect a useful decision without great patience and perseverance." " Citizen " must know that the question of disarmament has been before the League for 10 years, and that every time it is raised a storm excited by jeolousies, national interests, etc., follows. Each nation considers that it has special interests and special reasons why it should have a larger army or fleet or air force than its neighbours, and raising the question of disarmament will not oring peace. The first thing to be done is to cultivate goodwill, to find matters on which all the nations can work together, to bring about a friendly feeling, to remove causes of friction, to promote harmony, mutual discussion and forbearance, and to get to know each other's point of view. In another 10 or 20 years disarmament may come gradually without discussion, but much more surely than by incessantly harping upon it. The progress that has been made may appear to be slow, but nevertheless it has been great, and it will gather momentum as time goes on. That the League has lasted for 10 years in view of all the bitter feelings at the close of the war is a marvel. To watch the representatives of the nations meeting together to find the solution of their problems should make even " Citizen " happy. Has anything like it ever been seen before? " Citizen " refers to the non-entry of the United States and Russia into the League He makes no mention of the fact that the v United States is represented on most of the committees of the League. The United States has her own reasons for not joining the League. First, she claims that Europe has made probably greater progress in settling its disputes without her aid than it would have done with it. Secondly, she believes that the standard of intelligence and political experience amongst members of the League is not equal to the standard in the United States, and she is not prepared to submit to it. Thirdly, if she became a member it would give an opportunity for the Latin Republics of Central and South America to put a spoke in her wheel when they thought fit. Of course, when the level of intelligence outside the United States is raised to the level inside, she may be prepared to reconsider her position. For so long as the declared aim of the Russian Soviet is to upset every Government in the world, does " Citizen" think that the entry of Russia into the League would assist in promoting harmony?—l am, etc., W. J. Tennent. Dalmore, July 28.