The Daily News. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 7, 1920. INTERNATIONAL CO-OPERATION.

Taranaki Daily News, 7 April 1920, Page 4

The Daily News. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 7, 1920. INTERNATIONAL CO-OPERA-TION.

Those who consider the League of Nations implies the establishment of a super-State or super-sover-eignty signally fail to comprehend the true nature of the League, which Lord Curzon aptly described as "the expression of a universal desire for saner method of regulating the affairs of mankind," for which desirable! end it provides the practical machinery. The main principle on which the League is founded is international co-operation. It was by unity that the war was brought to a victorious conclusion j by the Allies, and the League is the embodiment of .the principle of unity for preserving peace. In-' ternationai co-operation is merely carrying out in State affairs that common action which safeguards the interests of each and all the nations, reconciles divergent interests, removes misunderstandings and promotes a peaceful settlement of disputes arising between the nations, and also aims at advancing the welfare of all classes (more particularly the workers). What co-operation has done in the industrial world, it can do equally well when applied to international affairs. It is hoped that the influence of the League will, like the growth of British character, be built up gradually, and grow, as a great tree, out of the necessities that arise. The great principle that should actuate the League's policy is "one and all, each for all, and all for each." Speaking at Newcastle recently Lord Robert Cecil made a forceful appeal for unity, in the course of which he said:— ''There can 'be no real co-operation without, altruism. It is the selfishness of individuals, of classes, of nations, that breeds hatred, enmity, war; and we must sorrowfully admit that after twenty centuries of Christianity selfishness is still one of the dominant forces of mankind. Nevertheless, lam firmly convinced that, my fellow-coun-trymen of all classes do desire what is right. To them let, us appeal, each of those he knows best. I call upon them to aid in this great movement of constructive unity, and, casting aside all personal interests and traditional prejudice, to work for industrial unity at, home, political unity in the Empire, and co-operative unity amongst all the nations of the world."

There is an intense patriotic ring' in these noble sentiments, while their scope is illimitable, for it will be' noticed that they embrnee practically every activity in the civilised world. ' If there is no unity in national affairs there can be no common action internationally. It is because national affairs are to an appreciable extent at present in the melting-pot, that the nations must first put their respective houses in order before they can attempt, with any measure of success, to take any useful part in international co-operation. Probably the process may be painfully slow, but even Britain herself has not yet perfected the or-

ganisation of the Empire, and close as is the bond of union, yet some of the strands are notably weak and will need very careful handling to prevent an overstrain. The whole tone of international morality needs raising to a higher plane where it can be freed from the worst of,»its selfishness and take on a more altruistic tone. Lord Haig lays more stress on the war being a moral victory than a material one. This important factor in international ethics is apt to be overlooked, being overshadowed by the more striking idea of a world-wide co-opera-tion in the interests of peace. Unless internal industrial peace is placed on a firm and equitable basis the chances of the larger peace will not be great.. For that reason a common understanding on Labor matters was made a prominent feature in the seope of the League's activities, and the success pf the Labor Conference in America, under the auspices of the League, demonstrated the use and the power of public debate in one field of international aetion. In this sphere of the League's work •there is a vast field of operations, not the least important of which is to bring home to the workers that while pressing for their rights they must not ignore their responsibilities. Although there is a concentration of effort on the part of Labor leaders to obtain ever-increasing concessions, there is no real cohesion in labor ranks. The introduction of Soviet methods precludes all hope of Labor being a power for good in the world,, and indicates the tendency to a despotism compared with which the evil of an autocratic Government of a nation is but a mere circumstance. "Nothing can be worse than class hatred." said Lord Robert Cecil recently, "because it poisons the whole political and social life of any country, and it is the duty of patriotism to abolish it." Now that the Dominions have attained to nationhood they may justly be expected to take their share in international co-operation, as well as to create a common interest between all parts of t ( he Empire.