THE GENEVA CONFERENCE

Waikato Times, Volume 93, Issue 14521, 19 November 1920, Page 5

THE GENEVA CONFERENCE

LEAGUE'S VALUABLE WORK

HOPES FOR GOOD FUTURE RESULTS

AN ASSURANCE AGAINST WAR

(Australian and N.Z. Cable Assn.)

Received November 18, 8.10 p.m LONDON, November 17

At the Geneva Conference, Lord Robert Cecil, who is representing South Africa, in criticising the opinion expressed that the League was dead, said the Council's report gave Ihe lie thereto. The Council had done an immense amount of valuable international work both in organisation and political and constructive work. 11 was necessary to got the machinery in order before they could coinc to the vast problems confronting the League. He was hopeful that this 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 finances, but even "if £500,000 a year .were spent, that was a small premium to pay for the 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 thereon at .this stage, but he hoped there would be no further delay in establishing the mandatory system. Lord 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, and 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 specially that he represented the spirit of reconciliation.

M. Pucrredon (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, also that presently the League might lie regarded as an alliance for the liquidation of war rather than a powerful organisation to ensure peace.