THE LEAHUE

Hokitika Guardian, 4 April 1921, Page 3

THE LEAHUE

REPLY BY LORD ROBERT ( KCIL. < MJS'rnAI.IAN ANI) N.Z. OAfll.E ASSOCIATION. , LONDON, March 31. Lord Robert Cecil, interviewed by the Australian Press Association, said lie was surprised to read the lion E. , I). Millen’s expression of disappointment and depression over the Congress of the League of Nations at Geneva., On the contrary, the success of the Congrpss has encouraged the majority . of the delegates.. Possibly Mr Milieu’s disappointment arose through an expectation of some- | thing differing from what the Covenant contemplated. Apparently Mr Milieu thought that the League of Nations, if it were effective, ought to have raised 50,000 troops to protect Armenia, while Mr Hughes complained of its failure to assist Poland, indicating’ that both hoped for a League forming a superstate commanding troops and able to forcibly impose its will on recalcitrant nations. Such an organisation would possibly be advantageous, but the Covenant of the League did not contemplate anything of the kind. j The League’s only aim was to render . war less probable, contemplating eo- ; ercion solely in the event of a member , plunging into war without allowing the Council of the League, or an International Court to investigate the casus 1 belli. Otherwise the independence and sovereignty of members of the League j was entirely untouched. At the Geneva meeting the -thiol success arose from the encouragement of international co-operation and free, open discussion of world problems threatening the maintenance of peace. Undoubtedly, the Conference did a j great deal to assuage the bitterness the i war created, particularly among the ■ small Powers of Central and Eastern, Europe, through freedom of intercourse j and the removal of misunderstandings. I Moreover, the foundations had been • laid of international co-operation relat- 1 ing to health and transit, and the establishment of an International Court | of Justice. ! “I notice,” continued Lord Robert Cecil, “that the Australian statesmen - emphatically repudiate the idea of admitting Germany to the League. Possibly Australia does not realise the urgent need for the pacification of Europe as do those residing therein. Nevertheless, T am convinced that real Ihukp is the most urgent need of the present day, and it is not obtainable j wi! limit whole-hearted acceptance of the League, the efficiency of which directly depends on the inclusion of the world’s great nations. Germany’s inclusion at present may be impossible. , If so, this is a great misfortune, which i in my judgment, every patriotic Bri- | Usher ought to do his utmost to remove i at the earliest possible moment.”