The Press THURSDAY, June 1, 1922. The League of Nations Union.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 17469, 1 June 1922, Page 6

The Press THURSDAY, June 1, 1922. The League of Nations Union.

The formation of a New Zealand League of Nations Union is an event upon which even those may look kindly who remain douhtful whether the ideals of the Covenant will in their time, or ever, control the policies of the nations of the world. Ours is a very small country, incapable of exercising any direct influence upon foreign countries and their polity, but it can exercise some influence within the Empire, and the influence of the Empire upon the world is immeasurably great. The British Government will far more con-' iidently rest its policy upon the Coven,tnt if it feels assured that the Dominions desire that the principles of tho Covenant shall have fair play, and every fair-minded person will wish that the League shall be given a chance. The list of officers appointed by the conference of delegates which was held in Wellington on Tuesday makes it clear that the movement in this country is, as it ought to be, one in which every creed and every party can feel at home. This is a good beginning, and the conference was not unwisely guided in the resolutions with which it has come into action. One of these urged tho Government to make an early declaration of its willingness "to "co-operate actively with the Imperial "Government in making the League of " Nations the keystone of the foreign "policy of the British Emnire." A second, praising Sir James Allen for his services in the Assembly of the League, expresses the hope that he will have his Government's support in pressing for the admission of all nations to .the League. A third asks for the early realisation of the limitation of armaments. A fourth asks that New Zealand shall be directly represented at all future conferences under the Covenant, "in.order to maintain its world "status as a self-governing Dominion "within the British Commonwealth." Finally it was decided to ascertain the attitude of all Parliamentary candidates towards the League. Those resolutions, and some of the speeches supporting them, will not receive general and unqualified support. When Professor Pringle, for example, Hays that "the "British Government must put its "trust in the League of Nations," many people will be likoly to say that the British Government, while standing by the Covenant idea, will be wiser to put its trust in the Empire and the Empire's capacity to maintain its lights by its own efforts. So also, when he finds himself asked to secure the individual and direct representation of New Zealand at conferences held under the Covenant) with the object pf "maintaining New Zealand's " world status," Mr Massey may object that he is not at all anxious to liud or to use opportunities to assert the separate nationhood of New Zealand, and there are many who would support .him. Nor docs it seem to us to bo wise to apply a new political test, of the kind suggested, to candidates for Parliament, unless 'there is no intention of. bringing any kind of pressure to bear upon the candidates. That he is sceptical concerning the usefulness of the Covenant should not he regarded as a disqualifying weaknes* in any public man. Yet those who wish the new Union well need not feel sorry that it has begun with bold and positive affirmations. Tepid platitudes and smooth general propositions will get the Union nowhere. It need hardly be added that tho promoters of the Union must nevertheless make up their minds to hasten slowly. Tho world will but slowly assimilate the principles of tho Covenant, and tho Unions in all countries must make up their minds to a long and sometimes diacouragingly slow and laborious effort. Their busiuea is not to attempt too much, or promise too much, but to remain on the alert to keep the principles of the Covenant before tho public nihid.