GENERAL TRAGEDY

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 3, Issue 682, 7 November 1933, Page 3

GENERAL TRAGEDY

LEAGUE'S HANDICAP "TOUCHES 'NOTHING THAT IT DOES NOT ADJOURN." UNRE C ONOILED NATIONS. "The League of Nations touehes nothing it does not adjourn." The remark was made in bitter > tones hy a wdl-known international journalist in Ihe lobby of the Batiment des Commissions just hefore tha last .adjournment of the World Disarmament Conference, writes 'Norman Hillsoh in the London Daily Telegraph, This same conference, after seven years of preparatory committees, had reached yet another stage of apparent 'abortiveness. In fact, its first anniversary was made ti e subject of derisive laughter in many quarters. After several more long and ineffectual,. even tedious, sittings under the patient direction of Mr. Arthur Henderson, as president of the conference, and the some what less tactful guidance of M. Politis, the vice-presi-dent, the delegates departed from Geneva, some in arrogant frame of mind, some in resentful mood, a few in 'real sorrow, and the remainder in utter indilference. The Dis,armament Conference adjourned scme months ago. Since th'at time much water has flowed hsneath the sweeping arches of the Pont du ®ont Blanc. The face and opinions of Europe have changed with an alarming rapidity. The a.stonishing success of Hitler's Nazi movement beyond the Rhine has revived the deepest fears of France and ever. brought the Quai d'Orsay into real speaking terms with Moscow — a circumstance of profound significanco considering the diverslty of political opinion between the Elysee and the Kremlin. French De'fences. Recently M. Daladier (then Prime Mjinister of France) repoiced in thz security which mnst come against German aggression from the elaborate field works and fortresses which havs been constructed in the vieinity of Metz and along the chain of the Vosges mouniains. At the same time, the Belghn Government is being importuned for a grant of £28,000,000 to reconstruet the fortresses of Liege on a new model, and not on the design which prcved so worthless against tha invading Germans in the early days of August, 1914. The World Disarmament Conference must face the fact that the international position is changed. The revival of pre-war Prussian nationalism is causing the liveliest alarm in Poland. The declaration of a prominent Nazi leader that in 1937 Danzig and the Corridor will he unittd to the I'atherland by force of arms was not caleulated to ease a situation already teiise to the point of breaking. Then again there is the prscarious position of Austria. fighting against the Ansch.uss and Nazi propaganda, and trembling lest Mussolini should change his mind and dephi't from- his present policy of inexplicahle neutrality. Add to all this the failure of the World Monetary and Economic Conference to arrive at any valid, concrete decision, and yon have a fair idea of our present-day Europe drifting towards an unknown dark destiny — a destiny which, unkss the spirit of the nations chamges, seems certain to involve economic chacs. Geneva and the League of Nations have been much criticised for the present state of Europe. A great deal of that criticism has been unfair. On the other hand, much of it has been entirely justified. Geneva is the emObodiment of the conference idea, the public meeting with everyone talking at cross purposes. Four-Power Pact. It was to reach some lcind of d. cision among the Powers that Mussolii first drafted his Four-Power Pact. When its terms became known there was a loud outcry among many Powers, mainly because it was a deparfture from the conference idea. The very constitution of the league makes it diffic.ult to see how these interminable conferences are to be avoided, but it would go far t0 reeslahlish confidence in this institution of the nations if occasionally there was some greater definition in its deliberations. If there is the least difiiculty the conference dissolves either into a number of investigating committees, or else adjourns the matter sine die. This procedure has become practicaily customary. It is almost impossihle to keep track of all the various committees and commissions which have been appointed to investigatC every kind of problem, from traffie in women and children to- the question of non-recognition of the so-called State of I^anchukuo. The tragedy of Geneva and Gentva mc'hods is the fact that nations are ur.willing to compromise. They start off with' wonderful grandiloquent speeches, but when it hecomes a matter of concessions, that is quite another story. It is then that we reach Ihe committee or adjoining stage, and the world public huoyed up by a promising start in a discussion, is once

more disappointed of its hopes. The League of Nations has rightly lost in popularity and world est.em because its achievements in settllng disputes between the Powers are so few. The question remains whtther th new meetings of the council, the assemibly, and the Wbrld iDsarmament Conference will do anything to re-establish its prestige. Big Issues. These three bodies are faced with migh'ty issues. No one knows to what limits the discussions may extend. What of the Anschluss ? What of Nazi propaganda in Austria ? What of the many frontier incidents in Czecho-Slovakia, Switzerland, and Belgium ? What of treaty revision as envisagedin the Four-Power Pact and permitted by the Peace Trcaty? What of the future monetary standards of Elrojie ? And finally, what of disarmament? Will the French recognise that their line of fortresses gives the- Third Republic adequate security? Will Germany he able to convince the Belg-ians and Poles that the Storm Troopers are ndt so!ldiers, but only harmless Perhaps in desepration the Powers will get together to do something to ward off impending disaster. Pacts of non-aggression have partially removed the Red Russian terror, which has lonig been a obsession in many parts of Europe. America is withholding her naval ' and army plans until she sees what happens in Geneva, although aJpan announces that she will build her Navy to the Treaty limits at once. But whatever happens in the future history of the world, the first act of the drama will he played on the Geneva stage. Never was there a greater opportunity for the leageu to show its jpowers of peace. Never was there such an opporitunity for nations to live up to their professed ideals. Never was there such an opportunity for deeds instead cf words, deeisions instead of adjournments.