LEAGUE OF NATIONS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 77, 26 December 1918, Page 5

LEAGUE OF NATIONS

' ITS DIFFICULT EOLE. Mr. J. M. Smith,; the .Biitish attache with tho French Mission in Australia, recently delivered an interesting address in Melbourne on the aibjcct, "The League of Nations—ft It Practicable?" The speaker said most people were convinced that a league of .nations to preserve tho peace of the, world was desirable, but the important question was, js such a league practicable? President Wilson's description of the proposed league left a wide field of choice regarding procedure. Were they to have a league meeting at infrequent and irregular intervals for the purpose of settling difficulties as they arosa? Ho thought not. That would mean that conferences would only be called when the mischief was already in progress, and would be no more efficacious than The Hague tribunal or the famous Berlin Coajrjss' which endeavoured to patch up the Turkish Empire. Were they then ro uippo6e that the Powers would agree to. the election of a permanent congress to insure the world's peace;' to decide momentous international 'questions, and to punish offenders, while retaining their national points of view, their natbual independence and the right to preserve their individual prosperity? If :hcy aimed at this the league would speedi'y be relegated to the limbo of human failures. It would join tho ill-fate'd holy alliance which the monarchs of Eus&a, Prussia, and Austria formulated in 1815 with tho avowed object of enforcing the pence of tho world. Before a league of nations could 'be successful the co-operation between the nations would be of in intensely intimate character, 'with the interests of one counting rs the interests of all. Ware were ca'ised hot only by dynastic ambition and commercial rivalry. They might arise because cf the desire of a people for territorial expansion or as a result of the natural desire of the masses for improved ■ conditions. Any scheme, therefore, to prevent war must include provision for combined aclion for the amelioration of the masses in all the countries conoerned. (Applause.) There were other lions in the path. They would meet keen rivalry of national departments, the officers of which would not care to tako orders from any body outside their .own . Governments. As a member of the Allies' blockade committee for three yenrs in France, ho encountered this difficulty, which was surmounted by forwarding on the committee's decisions, with a time limit for their acceptance or rejection. Another difficulty would be tho nnworkableucss of a large congress, but this might be overcome by electing sub-committees of five members to specialise in matters concerning shipping, trade and customs, finance and labour. He saw no reason why the trades unions, should not be strongly represented on tho latter subcommittee. (Applause.) They would need machinery for enforcing peace; but above all they would have to remember (hat "as charity begins at home," "international concord begins with national concord." (Applause.) The task before tliem was not going lo be an easy one. They had to avoid the extremes of brutal prejudices and sickly sentimentality, and to inculcate a consideration for others in the hearts of the people. Ho believed it would bo possible to form a league of nations.. Many mistakes would bo made, but mistakes rectified would tend toward perfection. If they profited by their experience generations to rrmie would be wiser and stronger than tho nresent generation, and so it might be that great good would come of the costly lesson (might them by (he war. (Applause.)