LEAGUE OF NATIONS.

Timaru Herald, Volume XCVIII, Issue 18084, 11 July 1923, Page 6

LEAGUE OF NATIONS.

(Contributed). It may be hard in these days to recall the fine enthusiasms and high moral ideals which inspired millions of people at the time of the Peace Conference, but it is possible to refer to the written expression of those enthusiasms and ideals as set down in the Covenant of the League of Nations, and in the Treaties of Peace. Take, for example, the following extracts from the Preamble to Part NIII of the Treaty of Versailles, by which the International Labour Orbanisation was established:

“The League of Nations has for its object the establishment of universal peace, and such a peace can be established only if it is based on social justice.” “Conditions of Labour exist involving such injustice, hardship and privation to large numbers of people as to produce unrest so great that the peace and harmony of the world are imperilled, and the improvement of those conditions is urgently required.” “The failure of any nation to adopt humane conditions of labour is an obstacle in the way of other nations, which desire to improve the conditions in their own country.” Here, then, is the high ambitions which actuated the International Labour Organisation, and the people who formally declared them are the signatures of the Treaty of Peace, “moved,” as they solemnly declared, by sentiments of justice and humanity. This important blanch of the League of Nations has done an immense amount to preserve the peaco and harmony between Governments and people in various countries; and it successfully averted an international strike among seamen'. Such a strike would have cost the nations millions of pounds, and caused endless loss and suffering. It will be seen from the foregoing that the League of Nations is not, as some ill-informed people imagine, a capitalistic organisation. Much could bo written to disprove such an idea, but space is not available. Besides, it is open for all to become members of the League of Nations’ Councils; and as those Councils are intended to mould public opinion in support of the League, each and all have a chance of helping to mould that opinion one way or another, making it capitalistic or non-capitalistic. Get into touch with the local League of Nations Councils; get to understand all about it, and do your bit in preserving the peace of the world and in securing social justice in j'our own and other countries.