LEAGUE OF NATIONS.

Waikato Times, Volume 98, Issue 15312, 13 August 1923, Page 4

LEAGUE OF NATIONS.

Deep conviction of the efficacy of the League of Nations as an effective instrument in securing the peace of the world was the keynote, of a speech which Sir Francis Bell delivered at Dunedin recently to a representative gathering of commercial men. Sir Francis was a delegate to the Third Assembly of the League, and his impressions of its usefulness are consequently the result of first-hand knowledge. In the League he' sees an organisation of nations which has achieved much, and promises to accomplish much more. It is to him the most potent influence for international understanding and goodwill yet devised, and as the Covenant of the League bears upon it the signature of the Dominion, common duty demands loyalty to its principles and sympathy with its ideals. Moreover, the Dominion having accepted the mandate for Western Samoa, it is in direct communication with and responsible to the League. Sir Francis insists that support of the League is therefore a question of honour, and it is well that its work should be understood in order that it may be appreciated. The League was born in the most difficult period of the world's history, when war had created barriers of hatred between nations, and had brought into existcuce problems of a most complex and far-reaching character. It was then merely a ray of sunshine in a darkened sky. Sir Francis Boll's considered opinion is that the League has effected the very' purposes for which it was formed, and he was careful to supply abundant proofs in support of his contention. It has brought together for the mutual consideration of the world's problems statesmen of tiie highest ability and integrity from the countries linked together in the League. Perhaps the most interesting portion of the speech of the Attorney-General was that in whicli he contrasted the processes of diplomacy with the processes of the League, claiming superiority for the modern method. It is not on uncommon experience to be told that the League has failed, but the many successes of the League show that while the world has failed to find peace and that spirit of amity which alone can secure and retain peace, the League's efforts have considerably modified the failure. Its settlement of the Polish boundaries, the Aaland Islands dispute, Upper Silesia, and Albania, all danger spots fraught with even more than possibilities of war, stands as a monumental achievement, while its work in the reconstruction of Austria was an undertaking of extreme difficulty and importance. The humanitarian activities have been singularly successful, the field covered ranging from the repatriation of prisoners of war to the suppression of the traffic in women and children, and an attempt to control the traffic in opium. In association the nations can accomplish

hasten the destruction of civilisation as it exists to-day, and will most certainly delay the onward march of progress towards a higher humanity. The League, as Sir Francis pointed out, docs not seek to infringe the common patriotism of any citizen of any country. It stands in a practical way for agreement among 1 nations, and* even though it is unable to prevent any country from going to war it may ' effectively prevent war by closing the channels of commerce to those who reject arbitration and prefer war. The cost of operating this peace machine, spread over the fiftyodd States which comprise the League, has been computed at about one-seventh of the amount involved in the construction of a first-class battleship. By the expenditure of this comparatively insignificant sum the opportunity now exists for the world to experiment in the art of peace instead of indulging in the ruinously costly business of war, and the machinery of preparation for war.