WAR’S HORRORS.

Taranaki Daily News, 15 November 1921, Page 5

WAR’S HORRORS.

DEADLY POISON GAS. LESSON FOR THE FUTURE. NEED FOR THE LEAGUE. By Telegraph.—Press Assn Copyright. Capetown, Nov. 12. Speaking at a crowded meeting in Pretoria in support of the League of Nations, General Smuts said that war was becoming impossible as a means of settling international disputes, -owing to the advances of chemical science. It was not generally known, but it was a fact that if the war had lasted another year the horrors of chemical warfare would have multiplied a thousand-fold. Just before the armistice poison gas was being manufactured on such a scale and of such deadly quality that it would have devastated, not only the armies but huge areas, not leaving a vestige of life. This gas would have been used if the war had continued. During the three years of so-called peace the world had been progressively going to pieces. The economic effects of war were so terrible as to make war almost impossible. The League of Nations was the antithesis of war, bringing the nations together. Who was chairman of the council of the league? Not a representative of a Great Power, but a Chinaman (Mr. Wellington Koo), with the face of a girl and the tongue of an angel. The two great outstanding successes of the league were the constitution of the International Court of Justice and the settlement of the Silesian question. The league was proving itself and turning out a success. Dealing with disarmament, General Smuts said Britain was faithfully acting in the spirit of the league by disarming. France was keeping up a huge army and trying to secure the military leadership of Europe. This was out of keeping with the spirit of the time. America's invitation to the conference indicated a great change in the American spirit and the realisation that she was unable to stand alone and live an isolated life. The day might come when there would be seen at the Washington Conference the beginning of America’s co-operation with the league. There was no fear of the conference becoming a rival to the league. Referring to the dangers in the Pacific problem, General Smuts advocated an annual round-table conference to settle Pacific disputes. He urged th« | Washington Conference to lay down some general principle whereon the Great Powers should act in navy building. The league should embrace everybody. If Germany would not join voluntarily she should be compelled to do so. The sooner Russia joined the better for the peace of the world. In his opinion the function of the league was not merely to secure the peace of the world, its main function was to regulate economic relations between nations, which was the weak spot in the present system. A crusade in favor of the league must be preached throughout the world.