REFORMING THE LEAGUE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 5 April 1938, Page 2

REFORMING THE LEAGUE

ONE PRINCIPLE UNDERLYING WORK AT GENEVA.

Mr. Anthony Eden recently put the first principle of the League of Nations as “the promotion of international co-operation.” That is not only the first but the only principle that makes sense of any league of nations, remarks the London “Observer.” It is because a disastrous con-

spiracy of circumstances has had the effect of belying that principle in the case of the present League that the case for reform is being argued. But. before such a thing becomes possible present facts and the implications of first principles must be honestly faced. The fads are that in social work the

League has done good. It has failed in its primary object of preventing war. The main reason for that failure is that when four out of seven Great Powers formally or in effect stood outside the League the League had no possible “sanction” against war. By attempting to apply the theoretic sanctions prescribed by Article 1G of the Covenant—an article drafted in 1919 on the supposition of a universal

memoership of the League—-the League's only effect was to damage itself by exhibiting its impotence. . What then be the quick, simple, effective way back to first principles? Obviously by attempting to reconstitute a true League. Why not convene a conference of “League members” with “non-League members” to discuss the formation of such a League? Germany had no voice in the 1919 Covenant. The principles, means and purposes of the cause are all contained within the one word co-operation.