LEAGUE OF NATIONS

Southland Times, Issue 18984, 19 November 1920, Page 5

LEAGUE OF NATIONS

THE GENEVA CONFERENCE. DOMINION REPRESENTATION ON COMMISSIONS. BASIS OF FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTION. (By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright.) (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) LONDON, November 17. The Australian Press Association correspondent at Geneva reports that Senator Millen has joined all the commissions. Sir James Allen participates in Commissions 3 to 6. The Assembly began the discussion of the Secretary-General’s report on the Council’s work. The report shows that the special committee on finance was of opinion that the best indices of financial capacity were population and net revenue in fixing contributions but left the final decision with the Assembly. In view of the importance of allowing as much time as possible to the principal Powers the Council decided to defer the presentation of the report on the mandates to the Assembly till the latest possible date. THE WORK TO BE DONE. LORD ROBERT CECIL’S HOPES. LONDON, November 17. (Received November 18, 8.40 p.m.) Lord Robert Cecil, criticising the opinion expressed that the League was dead, said the Council’s report gave the lie thereto. The Council had done an immense amount of valuable international work both in organisation and political and constructive work. It was necessary to get the machinery in order before they could come to the vast problems confronting the League. He was hopeful that the year’s work would be of such a nature as would appeal to the public of the world. Britain was anxious that there should be all possible economy in the League’s finances , but even if £500,000 a year were spent that was a small premium to pay for a League whose object was to prevent war, when we compared it with the daily cost of the late war. As the mandates had been referred to a commission it would be improper to comment on them at this stage, but he hoped there would bo no further delay in establishing the mandatory systems. Lord Robert Cecil appealed to the League to take prompt steps to relieve Armenia. He urged the Council to inform the Assembly regarding the precise situation between Poland and Lithuania. Lord Robert Cecil concluded by appealing to the Assembly not to show timidity in its work. He reminded them that he represented General Smuts, against whom his father waged war. He felt especially that "he represented the spirit of reconciliation. Senor Puerredon (Argentine) considered that all sovereign States desiring to join should be permitted to do so. The exclusion of certain States might provoke the establishment of another league, and the present League might be regarded as an alliance for the liquidation of the war rather than a powerful organisation to ensure peace. MESSAGE FROM PRESIDENT WILSON. WASHINGTON, November 17. President Wilson sent a message to M. Hymans, President of the League of Nations, expressing his hope and confidence that the Assembly’s labours would be of immense value to the whole civilised world. Mr Wilson received a cable from M. Hymans on behalf of the League wishing him a speedy and stating that the Assembly recognised that ho had done more than any other man to lay the foundations of the League.

AMERICA AND THE LEAGUE. WOMAN SUFFRAGIST PROPA GANDA. NEW YORK, November 17. Mrs Catt, one of the suffragette leaders who were instrumental in the success of the women’s movement in the United States, baa requested every woman who voted for Mr Harding to send him a letter urging that the United States should enter the League of Nations.