ARCHBISHOP’S APPEAL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16829, 4 September 1922, Page 7

ARCHBISHOP’S APPEAL.

4. THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS. AN INAUGURAL SERMON. COFFIN OF MILITARISM. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. GENEVA. September 3. The Archbishop of Canterbury (the Right Rev Dr Davidson) delivered to the Deague of Nations an inaugural sermon in the Cathedral of St Pierre. Pari Balfour read the lessons. Many delegates were present at the ceremony. Tin? Archbishop said ho believed that the League might go far to make the Kingdom of God a reality in our lifetime. hut it was vain to talk of the rightemmess of God while the monstrous arbitrament of war was impending. The foremost thinkers, statesmen and rulers of Christendom had thrown their strength into devising plans to make war impossible. In the meantime they might surely say that militarism had fashioned its coffin, and they were there to clinch the nails. Some nations were not paying their contributions, and others were paying on the reduced scale proposed last year, but which was still not- validated. The League authorities were in a serious quandary. They were disinclined to insist on the higher scale, ancl they could not enforce payments even in the case of defaulters. Some of the smaller nations had suspended their contributions, pleading national poverty. The League shrank from the use of the penalty of exclusion. fearing a break ,in the League, but nevertheless, unless 1110 finances strengthened or expenditure curtailed, some of the members could foresee its gradual disintergation. Sir .Tames Allen (New Zealand), the •sole British member of the Finance Committee, has been attending meetings of the committee for several days, and he admits that the finances require very grave consideration.