LEAGUE OF NATIONS

Evening Star, Issue 22144, 26 September 1935, Page 8

LEAGUE OF NATIONS

OTAGO COUNCIL RESOLUTIONS FOR WORLD PEACE A large number of members attended the meeting of the Otago Council of the League of Nations Union, when several reports were presented by different members who had attended meetings on behalf of the branch. Mrs Peter Milne dealt with the peace conference organised by the New Zealand Movement Against War and Fascism, Mrs Milne and Mrs Denton Leech having been appointed as observers. The ideal put forward by the organisers was that of finding a common platform on which all peace societies could take their stand, with a formula to which all could subscribe without losing sight of the individual method of striving for world peace. The peace resolution submitted to the conference on that occasion was couched in militant language of a very aggressive type, thus rendering any co-operation with other societies out of the question. Obviously the conference achieved nothing. The Rev. J. Douglas Smith spoke of his attempt to collaborate as a speaker at an open-air meeting. The Dunedin climate made the attempt abortive. Miss Blackmore referred to some of the important subjects before the Wellington conference of the League of Nations Union branches. She testified to the high standard with which these had been handled; the evident careful preparation by the speakers on different sides; the keenness of the debates, which served to emphasise the efficiency of the Dominion prosideirt (the Rev. F. H. Wilkinson) as chairman of the conference. * Mrs Denton Leech, leader of the Otago delegation, stated that 11 branches had sent representatives, in some cases two and in other cases four delegates. Those from Dunedin were Mrs J. Arthur Wilkinson, Miss Blackmore, and Miss Middleton, of the youth group, and herself. Naturally the Italian-Abyssinian dispute occupied a prominent place on the agenda, most branches having sent in remits on the subject. Mr Craig-M'Kenzio had moved that " the time has passed for pious hopes and wishes, and a firm stand must bo taken by all member States standing behind the League Council, even should the Council decide that sanctions must be enforced in order to preserve the League principle of collective security." A strong resolution along these lines was passed without dissent and forwarded to Mr G. W. Forbes and to the British League of Nations Union. The present attitude of the natives of Western Samoa and the unfavourable comments by the Permanent Mandates Commission on the mandatory administration, which appeared in the report of the commission in November, 1934, had been raised by Christchurch. Timaru dealt with the proposal for a fuller development of the lieaguo of Nations by the establishment of a tribunal of equity to deal with international disputes in the early stages, with an international police force to enforce its decisions. , At the conclusion the president (Dr 15. N. Mcrrington) thanked Mrs Denton Leech, Miss Blackmore, and the other delegates to the conference for their

splendid services in representing the branch.

The following resolution was unanimously carried; —" We, the members of the Council of the League of Nations Union (Otago branch), record our deep sense of gratification that the League of Nations is taking a strong _ and united stand at the present crisis in the history of the world with a view to averting the threatened invasion of Abyssinia by Italy and the dire consequences which would result" from the outbreak of war; and we express the earnest hope that the efforts of the League- may be successful in maintaining peace between these peoples. In this juncture it is universally recognised that the test which has been applied to the League is extremely severe, but we believe that the League is proving itself able and willing _to meet the strain which events have imposed upon it. We wish to emphasise the importance of unity among the members of the League regarding its paramount claims to be the instrument of a new world order for safeguarding peace and advancing the interests of collective security. We desire to stress the supreme need of strong and enlightened public opinion in favour of the League, and point out that large and .influential membership of the League of Nations Union is the most effective means of strengthening the cause of world peace, and accordingly appeal to all citizens who endorse the attitude of the League to enrol themselves as members of the League of Nations Union."