LEAGUE OF NATIONS

Hokitika Guardian, 3 July 1931, Page 3

LEAGUE OF NATIONS

NEWSPAPER ATTACK-

BLUFF AND HYPOCRISY ALLEGED.

LONDON, May 21. Tne "Daily Express,” inspired no doubt by Lord Beaverbrook, lias launched out on a new campaign. This time it is an attack upon the League of Nations. With great prodigality of headings and space, the journal announces : “The Road to Geneva is the Road to War, The Road from Geneva is the' Road to Peace.” me Liuui aoout t lie League oi -.aliens yum "ju..»preso usooi lsj has neen mucieii irom cue people oi tnis country lor years oy a conspiracy oi oiun and nypocr.sy v, oriiing upon tile .iUspectibiiiuos oi decent, trusting peopie. tile irutn must be tuld, and the Daily tcxpiess' ’ i s going to tell it. Aim no (teller moment could exist for starting the actual lacts about the league ot Nations man at this hour alien the delegates are beginning another chapter in Geneva’s long history dt intrigue. The tnree great achievements of the League of Nations since its inception have been: — (1) To curb and reduce the infiuence of Great Britain in the world to that of a second-rate Power. (2) To destroy the power of the British Empire as the most potent iateor for the assurance of world peace. (3) To mak inevitable the participation of Great Britain in any and every future war that takes place in Europe.

Other points in the first article of the campaign are : —The League lias succeeded, through the machinations at Geneva, in reducing the strength of the British Navy. That is true. But while Great Britain has been meekly cutting down its vital naval strength, tlie air armadas, tlie chemical gas factories, and the armies of Europe and the world have been swelling and multiplying to unprecedented dimensions.

Franco to-day has the most powerful military machine the world has ever seen. Her expenditure on military aircraft lias increased since 1926 by 130 per cent. She is feverishly building a great ring of the most powerful fortifications round b p r frontiers. What is Geneva doiiic about that' 0 Nothing v rance is to-dav the most chauvinistic nation ill tin’ world. She .stands for chauvinism in its worst f-rm. Geneva snvs and does notliing. because it has become a branch of tlie I rench tf’oregin Office.

KB AN CL IS MASTER

In a second article the “Express ’ ...ns k.-i Ui'.oinm.. to Urn Li ague of ...iion.s l.ni.m. Ol tiiis < igai.isation u says:— Jnternatonalism is their gospel: the Empire is anathema. Ihe look to ’.eneva for direction, for inspiration for political guidance. Their slogan is "The Brotherhood of Man.” Their patron saint is M. Briar.d, their prophet Lord Cecil. That is one side of the picture-—a vista of well-meaning muddle-headed men and women who believe that they are serving their generation by refusing to face reality.

France is the master. France lias ■aptured the League lock, stock, and barrel. Geneva is nothing more than an adjunct <>f the Quai d’O'rsay. France is determined that Germany, with her five millon unemployed, shall not ease her industrial troubles by the normal procedure of a Customs union with Aus iria. France is determined to remain dictator of Europe. At all costs she ■vill not relinquish the hegemony of the Continent.

The people of Great Britain believe that Germany should he given “eery ch Mice to create the prosperity >ot of wl : ch she must pay the demands ■•f the AlMes. The nations are gathering •>f Geneva to voice the will of France Un*- Germany and Austria must remain in (bains.

“A DANGEROUS GAME.’”

Th “News-Chronicle” has taken up the matter in equally prodigal headlias .ami space. It requests Lord Beaverbrook to think deeper. It describes the campaign of the “Daily Express” as a preposterous, irresponsible attack. The motive (says the “New«Clironicle”) is to set up the British Empire against the League of Nations to get Britain to withdraw from the League ; and to crush the British League of Nations Union by urging the public to step subscribing to it and thus eating off its funds, ft is a dangerous

game. The question was being asked yesterday: Are we to witness a new and mad crusade against Peace by the Beaverbrook circus? For. let there be no mistake. Who is against tlm League is against Pencp. The League lias been and is. our security against war.

Professor Gilbert Murray, chairman of thp Executive Committee of the T’tiion. makes the following statement: The Leneue of Nations Union does not think it worth while to answer the arf>olv> in the “Daily Exnress.” The •irfie'e is as sillv as it is prenosterous inaccurate. To snv that to the T T oioti the Emm'ro ; g anathema’ is simpiv ridiculous. Thinkntr roen and women will laugh at the article.

The “News-Chronicle” follows up its defensive crusade by publishing a’ declaration in favour of World Disarmament. It invites people to sign it in groups of six. '1 lie declaration with its signatures is for presentation to the World Disarmament Conference next February. A CHALLENGE. In a leading article to-day the “News Chronicle” refers to its “exposure” and says: Lord Beaverbrook cannot shuffle off the responsibility for the mud which his papers have been throwing, by merely saying nothing more about it. Lord Beaverbrook is now back in town from bis wanderings on the Continent. We challenge him to answer the following questions: (1) What alternative, which will have the support of this country and the Overseas Dominions, does he propose to subsitute for the League of Nations as a guarantee against war? (2) What responsible statesman in the whole Empire can he name as a supporter of his policy of smashing the League? (3) Does lie repudiate the expressed opinion of the' King that the League of Nations is our chief hope for pence? (4) Does he repudiate the expressed opinion of the Prince of Wales that the League of Nations Union is engaged in the greatest crusade of all—the crusade for world peace?