LEAGUE WORK

Hokitika Guardian, 14 May 1932, Page 6

LEAGUE WORK

INTERESTING REVIEW,

BY SIR JAMES PARR

WELLINGTON, May 13

Through his four years’ association as New Zealand’s representative at the League of Nations at Geneva, Sir .James Parr, M.L.C., is as competent to speak on the activities of that great tribunal and what the world maj' expect from it as any other man in New Zealand. His remarks at'the annual meeting of the Wellington Branch of the League of Nations Union last evening were of absorbing interest. “The League of Nations,” said. Sir James, “is in a sense the most important body in the world. It j is the sounding board of world opinion. If it fails there is no hope. The Leagde alone stands between us and another Armageddon, which with its scientific weapons of war will destroy our civilisation. But the League lias not failed. It has created a new collective spirit among the nations and has done some good work. I rim sexisted only twelve years, too short a time in which to judge it. How can one expect that in twelve years racial hatreds and fears existing for centuries can be eliminated. It will take time, perhaps a long time, but 1 am not without hope.”

SMALL WARS STOPPED. The League could stop all small wars even to-day, with its moral pressure and its threat of financial and economic punishment of the guilty parties- ■ And in great wars, by delaying the outbreak and by organising public opinion against the offenders, it could do much to prevent the threatened struggle. The League’s humanitarian, social and financial operations have done much in a decade to improve the world’s condition. Even if it had failed to bring about a great disarmament, the world cannot afford to do without it.

“It is true,” said Sir Janies, “that America turned down the League in 1919 and refused to join it. But since that date America has largely broken away from her policy of isolation. In view of her. great interests spread all over the world, America finds she cannot stand aside. America is not in the League, but I heard Mr Kellogg say two years ago that America had been represented at 32 League Conferences, while her delegates had also attended 20 other conferences held under the League’s auspices. And the other day .an American delegate actually sat at the table of the League Council and took effective part in its deliberations, and actions about Manchuria and Japan. “Further, America is responsible for the great Peace Pact brought about in 1928, which I had the honour of signing at Paris on behalf of this Dominion. America’s attitude will be largely influenced by the success or otherwise of the present Disarmament Conference. I prophecy that within a few years such will be the force of world circumstances that America will become a full member of the League.” FIFTY DIFFERENT LANGUAGES

There were some fifty nations, speaking almost fifty languages, represented in that vast hall at Geneva, said Sir James. There were only two official languages—Trench and English. Speakers may use either, and it is translated at once into the other official language, French, however, is still the language of diplomacy, of international intercourse. At his first session Sir James did not feel disposed to speak. It took some nerve to stand up before the leading statesmen, ambassadors, and diplomats of the world and tell them what one thought, especially as each speaker had to mount by way of a spiral stairway into a kind of pulpit. Ho freely confessed that he made the worst speech in his life. After he finished, the translator, an extraordinarily gifted man commenced to translate his speech into French, and soon';, he was surprised to see people lookingjpis way, and to hear an occasional “Brava” from the Latin members, and by the end of the translation he was hailed as an orator to be reckoned with, so it was seen how easily a man could gain a repuation undeservedly. Needless to say he thanked the interpreter for' the very fine speech he had made him say, and entertained him at dinner that evening in the best hotel in Geneva.