LEAGUE OF NATIONS UNION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24412, 25 September 1940, Page 9

LEAGUE OF NATIONS UNION

MEETING OF OTAGO BRANCH LETTER FROM LORD LYTTON A meeting of the council of the League of Nations Union was held on Tuesday evening, Dr Merrington presiding. A half-yearly financial statement was read, which showed that the society is holding its own. After the transaction of routine business an interesting letter received by the secretary from Lord Lytton was read as follows: Some League of Nations Union members may feel that now we are at war they cannot go on with their work, some perhaps even feel that the Union has failed in the task it has set itself to do, and there is no use trying any more. I want you to feel, as I do, that, the work of the Union is every bit as important now as ever it was. The League of Nations has not failed, it has not been seriously tried. The lessons of the last few months, the invasion of Norway, Holland, Belgium, teach us that a policy of neutrality and isolation does not lead to lasting peace, on the contrary, it increases the risk of war. In 1940 it is no more possible for the Individual nation to live as a hermit isolated from the rest of the world than it would be for the individual man or woman to do so. Everything that has happened In the last 12 months proves conclusively that only by uniting beforehand to resist aggression and preparing their defence collectively before the aggression takes place, can nations survive, and now is the time to make this understood. I realise that some of our activities must for one reason or another be cut down or suspended; yet, for us to be in a position to exert influence on the foreign policy of our country when peace returns, we must strive now to keep our organisation in being and intact, and it is for this reason that I am now writing to you, asking you to do your utmost in the cause of real peace to collect renewals of subscriptions and enrol new members whereever possible.