POWER FOR PEACE.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 September 1922, Page 5

POWER FOR PEACE.

FUNCTION OF THE LEAGUE. INFLUENCE ONLY MORAL. RESTRICTED ACTIVITY. By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. London, Sept. 8. The Geneva correspondent of the Australian Press Association says that Lord Balfour spoke for an hour in defence of the League's activities in the past, in explanation of the limitations of the present and in advocacy of increased powers for the future. Referring to Lord Robert Cecil’s criticism of the League’s helplessness in the presence of war in the Near East, and his demand that if the League is to justify its existence it must in future be all or nothing, Lord Balfour said the council was constitutionally incapable of interfering. Furthermore, the League possessed neither money, ships nor men. Nevertheless it was increasing its moral influence, and he hoped its material authority would develop by evolutionary processes. Meanwhile the League must content itself with its moral influence to promote peace.

The founders of the League were concerned only in preserving the peace which they imagined was established, not in winding up the war, of which the present Near East conflict was practically a continuation. They then thought they were removing the debris of war by re-arranging the map of Europe in conformity with the wishes of the populations. Not any of the statesmen or publicists of tlie world then foresaw the calamitous struggle now proceeding in the Near East. The League was not armed with machinery capable of ending the great war, of which the struggle now proceeding was probably the last episode It was not to deal with that kind of crisis that the League was created. MORE MONEY WANTED. Even regarding the functions with which the League was endowed, it was not efficiently equipped. Its authority was now greater than before, but it was still miserably equipped, owing to the mere want of money, which prevented it doing many things it wished to do, and was constitutionally authorised to do. Lord Robert Cecil seemed to think the League should assume national obligation® and should supersede foreign offices and war offices. He warned Lord Robert and similar critics that if the League were ever to reach that height, it must be by slow stages, remodelling the machinery, building achievement upon achievement, and gaining increased confidence. It would ’be madness to act prematurely. They would rush into a catastrophe if they used an imperfect instrument which broke in their hands. It would ruin the League. Referring to Sarre, Lord Balfour said the League’s efforts had been greatly hampered by malignant propaganda in the district, by people who were more concerned in discrediting the Government than in securing good government. The propaganda even extended to the League at Geneva The propagandists refused to avail themselves of the machinery which entitled them to secure an investigation of their alleged grievances by the Council o f the League, but preferred an insidious campaign from house to house. There was no possibility of examining or refuting the allegations. v THE RUSSIAN DIFFICULTY. Referring to Dr. Nansen's criticisms of the League's inactivity during the Russian famine and plague, Lord Balfour stated everybody, including the League Governments and the charitable public, had -been hampered by the knowledge that the contributions would be administered bj’ the Russian Government, in which nobody had confidence. The Soviet had command of gold which it could apply to the relief of its own people. He admitted that something must be done with the Russian plague, which menaced Europe. Mr. Lloyd George had done everything possible and would have done more, but the famine and plague coincided with the great coal strike in Britain, which cost the nation 200 millions. It was impossible then to foresee the ultimate development of the strike. Since then the Government had contributed £250,000. The British public had voluntarily subscribed more than any other nation. The Government furthermore offered to subscribe £lOO,OOO if the combined nations of the world agreed to contribute £200.000.

APPOINTMENT OF COMMITTEES. DOMINION REPRESENTATIVES. Received Sept. 9, 5.5 p.m. London, Sept. 9. The Australian Press Association’s Geneva correspondent states th? Australian and New'Zealand representatives have been allocated to the following committees: — Constitutional and judicial.—Judge Rich, Sir Francis Bell and Mr. Boyce. Technical organisations.—Sir Joseph Cook. Sir James Allen and Mr. Boyce. Reduction of armaments.—Sir Mark Sheldon and Sir A. Steel Maitland. . Finance.—Sir J. Allen, Sir J. Cook and Mr. Boyce. Social problems.—’Sir M. Sheldon, Mr. Dale and Sir A. Steel Maitland. Political.—Judge Rich, Sir F. Bell and Mr. Boyce. Economic. —Mr. Campion. Health.—Sir J. Cook, Sir J. Allen and Mr. Dale. At a meeting of the Health Committee on Friday an effort was made, under cover of the menace of Russian epidemics, to transform the voluntary health organisation into a permanent salaried department. Mr. John Ward, Sir J. Cook, Sir J. Allen and Mr. Dale opposed the move, and after strenuous .argument the proposal was defeated on the ground that the voluntary organisation was satisfactory in the past and another salaried department was un-necessary.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.