Cry For a New Spirit

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 453, 7 September 1928, Page 9

Cry For a New Spirit

NATIONS AND WAR

‘More Armaments, More Frightful Gas’

LEAGUE NOT STRONG ENOUGH

(United r.A.—By Telegraph — Copyright) (Australian and N.Z. Press Association) (United Service) Reed. 11.58 a tin. GENEVA, Thursday. THE Norwegian Prime Minister, M. Johann Mowinckel, roused the League of Nations Assembly for the first time by an impassioned speech, which was frequently applauded.

He pleaded for greater confideiice ,n the League among the nations. It Fas hoped that the birth of the League after the war would introduce a new spirit, and bring the nations close together. “What we find is that everywhere armaments are increasing, more and Wore frightful gases are being invented, placing innocent villagers at the mercy of a change of wind. "The newspapers report manoeuvres tf'iily on all sides—submarine, army, a od air manoeuvres. “Is there to be no end of the question ’Lest we forget?’ ” exclaimed M. Mowinckle, relapsing into English. “This situation is due to distrust between the nations, which still •*ists because a sufficiently strong

League is not yet established to ensure mutual confidence.” He appealed to the delegates and the countries they represented to forget the national outlook and come together in the spirit of the League. When the peoples trusted the League, they would not fear each other. POLAND AND LITHUANIA The whole afternoon was occupied by the interminable dispute between Lithuania and Poland. Professor Valdemaras (Lithuania) reviewed the history of the dispute, and blamed Poland for interrupting negotiations by pressing her claim to Vilna. M. Zaleski (Poland) briefly replied on behalf of Poland. The Council adjourned the discussion, and deliberated privately.