MR LLOYD GEORGE.

Hokitika Guardian, 7 April 1923, Page 3

MR LLOYD GEORGE.

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The following and all of Mr Lloyd George articles, rue copyright by United Press m America and all countries, copyright in Australasia by the Australian Press. Copyright, in Britain by the Daily Chronicle. I Reproduction in full or part prohibited.). TIIE LEAGUE OF NATIONS. ONLY HOPE OF PEACE. AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CAULK ASSOCIATION. LONDON. April b. In his ai ti: le on lie- League of Nation-, and II- chamc- of solving the European jiioblem-, Mr 1.10.vd George : ‘J- the League u Nations a -Here- - { It i- imp:.."ink.' 1 alt-w Cl j candidly, without ghing nil'i Lei to the ■ win le i.f it- pariisau-. i mean, uei eri tlicles-. to au.unpL aii-wi rs. 'I he answer for much de| ends i n a fearless examination of llie progress made, or ini--ed. The League was founded three year- ago. This is much two shot t a period to alford a Lest of the working if a gigantic and complex. hut very delicate and -eu-itive human ma- ( hine. The League, however, has been long enough in existeinv to icveal its -Uengtii, its weakn.:--(•-. it- potential- ] itic- and it- pe:d-. li ha- already achieved triumpiis oi ■'■'hicli it- founder may v.i li I pi--nil- notal Iv, tlm rest..rat in i f Au-u ia. and thi' -lamping out oi t \ p!m> ami the preventing ol ii- ! plead westward. 'I he Lab mr Branch is also producing nuuked im- ] (<• taut results. Great, credit is due for the alleviating of distress in fa-miiie-s.triokeii areas in Europe. and among the relilgees. from the honors of IP l-kevi-m ami of the Turkish savagery in Asia-Minor ; but tlie-e liumaiiitarim tasks wore not the primaty d:jetds of the 1.-agee's fouiidaiioli. 11 -= main purpose was the averting of future wars. Its failure or -nc, (■<-. as an experiment, should b . jmlg- d b\ i his test alone. | low dees it -land in tlr.-re-peel: II Ini- -Ui"ceded in settling a dispute between Sweden and Finland, over the Aaluild MamU. Here the League's methi ds gam- conlidenee in it- : (omphde ini pa id ud i! ,v. Thi- eaiiuot be -aid. unfortuimtoK i i the Silesian aw Dial, w hich although a I' d upon. ha ’ dl.v aceeple.l by b. ill the pai i ics as a fair -elHeiiieii i. I listed! ol 10l lowing the Anlaitd prceedeut in the ell nee of the tribunal the League pur-m-d a cour-e w hi.h engendered -I’-pieioii and] intrigue in l lie choiee ~ f the Tribunal and by the eoiiduet of proceedings. In the .\aluud ca-e. id great power wapallieiilai !y inielc-led in inliueueim.' | i lie (I eei -i.ai. 11 ere tv.o giva l pou ers. ! Fi ane.' and I’olaml. wu !i anllm: ily ill | the l eeagne w. re pa-si: nately engaged j in .('curing a iv-nii a.!\ e -a to Gei many ! the other pa l ty t ■ ti> ■ di-puie. •'Ter- , many had iiu fri. ml- ami moreuver was ] not a member of ihe I .eague. Bi ila in , i-tood for fairi lap . hut was not m j roI agonist of the German claim-. Li tlie-e circumstances, the League ought ti: have exerci.-ed more seruplons tare a- to Irectlotu fmm bias. Had it chosen distinguished iuri-t- from outside its own hods', all would have been well. The way Poland limited the League over Yilnn served to coiliirm an idea prevailing in l’n--ia tha.l I* ranee and I’olaml (loin ilia tod the 1 .eague. I lie Silesian award nmy ha pms. but ii ; will take a long sei le- • f dm i-mu- ; whieh are licvcnd eav;| |o c-icoh n frr- j limit and Rus-ian : "ed'die- in the j League. The Vilna lia.-; o. 1 lie \rmeu- I

inn failure, the -u-picimi- .-uroiiiidiim toe Sile.-ian award, the timidity uni"!', prevent- the (li-cu-itui of tile i< j':irntion- fv. li ll ii is the one one-lion d.stlit king Europe'- 1 . a o te-di.y (. the futile enincr-M t em- ami <om 111 i! t' e - oil disarmament (v. Inch everyone kuov, - were not -ucces-l'ul in -eraj’j■ il l gf one lleH of aeronlam's. are one mmii am, >,| infantry), till tlie-e di-appointment.-arose from one predoiuimmng ''itu-c. Nation- comes iron the tael that it i eprest'iiis only one ltd! ol t lie gicat p'owei'- of the world. line League, i ' 1..- reality. m::-t reon-ent the whole civilised will Id. Ta.lt is the original e, II ■ epl ion. To a-.li w liy thaL failed, i: to provoke a l.di ter. hanen controversy. I do mi propose to express an opinion on tlm merit- of the manoeuvres w hicli led l, the defeat of He treaty in America whether the I ..T. Senate' slmwc,| tl.ev imve hono'ii'eil l lie signature of the American President given in the name of In- c nail ' y at an in’eru.it ional t onl'iu i'll: '.', or w. 1;' i her 1 i - e m ill it men t wa - 100 I o oda me it ta II > : • va.l i a nee with \Wd kOi "lea to jir-ti-I v sanction; wiietle':' tic' aniendm-tits demamind as the ■ end.! ion . f appro:al would have crippled I" 1 ' League, and ought r ■ have been ivii'clod. or m bethcr limy are liarmlc-s and ought to lie a'■'•(' u tei I, ate i- Ur which it w oidd not \-e a u-el'itl purpose lo disc! ss. A-. to the effect of the American refusal to adhere to the League, there is no doubt it robbed it ol al! . ham " 1 i it dominating since--. It i- (rue three (great Powers, Britain. Frame. and Italy remained. The eject would have been paralysing. Where thc-e luree

Powers disagree cn any important issue. nothing I- done. No two gieat powers would lake the rc.-pon.-il Pity of overhauling a third. Hence toe t epiir.it imis have not been dealt wiin by the League. Had America keen in. even with an amende:! and expurgated constitution, the situation would hive keen transformed. America and Britain. acting in conjunction with an upon'v sympathetic Italy, and a see ot-Iv-a-sisting Belgium, would have brought such pre-sum on Frame a- to make it inevitable that the League should act. No great power has sc far permitted any international nui lion in which it has vital interests to be submitted to the League for decision. France resolutely declined to submit to the League, the. acute, threatening i|t!ar:cl which has broken out with Germany. Therefore, f raiice - refusal has the etfeet of hobbling the League, and so long as that attitude is maintained, the League will be intpi teiif to discharge its main filiation • the restoring and keeping of pence. PRESENT DANGER, it is not impos-ihie that the Reparations dispute may cud in the nm-t destructive e-.ullict. that ever broke over the earth. It is chinning up deadly passions. If ever there was an co, asiiui created for the purpose surely this is pi e-emtneiit-y -ueh a ca-e. frame not only deeline- to put the l eague Covenant into operation, let -he intimates that -he '".ill treat any sue-t proposal as an unfriendly net. I lie i ■ mstii iition of the League stipulatethat it is the friendly duty of any power to move, and that am tiiK-i----national dispute whitli threatens peace shall bo refer!ed to the League. Nevertheless. one leading signatory ruleout of the C ‘VeliaiU :di question- utaMv r licet ing its own interests. Tins is a pewer which has invaded the teiiitory of another, became the latter iai!ed to cartv out one ot the treaty previsions. This is an emphatic tepmliajou of the solemn ceniraet. It I,cen acquiesced in bv the oilier signatories. This, limitation of the Leagues activities is the gravest cheek it has yet sustained in its career. 1 do not believe it would have occurred if America. with or without Clause ton. had been an active member. A national settlement of the Reparation question by the League xvould have established its authority throughout the world. Germany, Russia and Turkey, who new trenr it; (lejiberaticm with (.IDirust

tinctured with contempt, would to forced to respect its power, and would soon'lie pleading for incorporation in its councils. Argument, debate and intercession would he recognised substitutes for shot, shell and sword. Wars would const) and the reign of law would be supreme. The League by developing the habit of nations debating their differences in the presence of the world, is gradually edging nut of war. fi i- a -nttler of quarrels. Will it he allowed to render that service? If mu. it will perish, like many other laudable experiments. If it dies, the hope of establishing peace on earth will be buried in its tomb.