The Times. PUBLISHED ON TUESDAY AND FRIDAY AFTERNOONS. "We nothing extenuate, nor set down aught in malice." TUESDAY, JANUARY 28, 1919. LEAGUE OF NATIONS.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 8, Issue 445, 28 January 1919, Page 2

The Times. PUBLISHED ON TUESDAY AND FRIDAY AFTERNOONS. "We nothing extenuate, nor set down aught in malice." TUESDAY, JANUARY 28, 1919. LEAGUE OF NATIONS.

Of all the matters to be discussed by the Peace Conference that assembly in whose hands lies the fate of the world—the most momentous is that which is summed up in the expression " League of Nations." What is the spirit and essenee of this movement ? Mr H. O. Wells, speaking on the subject in London recently, made some observations which are worthy of critical notice. It was, he said, a movement to change the ruling habits of thought about international relations that now dominated the world. In the first place, it had to clear away the vast festering mass ot' prejudices and preconceptions that were destroying mankind; and, in the second place, it had to build up a new world policy upon the clearer space. What was the mass of ideas against which the League of Nations movement set its face ? It was complex in detail, but the broad outline was not difficult to define. The fundamental notion was that the world of men consisted, and must consist, of States or Powers, which were engaged in an unending struggle—economic, diplomatfc, and military—to get the better of eacli other, and, if possible, to destroy each other. It was not impossible to trace the growth of that notion in Europe. To such ideas we owed the present war, the slaughter of 25 million human beings, and the bitter impoverishment of the whole world. To destroy the power and grip of those ideai and to substitute the realisation of a commonweal of mankind was the first part of the task of the League of Nations' movement. It was a task only possible if thousands of speakers and writers would work tor that one common aim. But, vast as thai task of destruction and mental cleansing was, it was the opening and the smaller portion of the work of the League. The idea of a commonweal of mankind was In itself only a sentiment, a desire, n disembodied idea. Before them lay the task of giving the idea substance. If international affairs were no longer to be left to Courts and Foreign Offices and secretive diplomatic methods working for dynastic interests, how were they to be carried on ? What was to be om substitute for diplomacy ? What was to be the new world policy ? Ii the economic business of th< world was not to be conticlled by the haggling ol tariffs and commercial warfare, how was it to be controlled ? What was to become of armies and navies in a world of commonweal ? How were attacks on the v.'orld's peace to be prevented or suppressed ? Such were the problems which confronted the movement upon its constructive side. The League of Nations movement was called upon for a great effort of study and research

i:'or these problems. It was more than a propaganda ; it was an inquiry. It was not a scheme to be put before the world to be accepted or rejected. It was a great idea of human solidarity which must be realised if mankind was to be saved from destruction —a great idea calling for mental effort, appealing for thought, tor the open mind and balanced judgment. The need for a decision was urgent, but he warned his hearers against hasty sketches of constitution. There was need for ourity within the movement and for variety within that unity. It was'an enterprise as great as the world. There was surely room for them all.