WORLD PROBLEMS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 31 August 1938, Page 6

WORLD PROBLEMS

LEAGUE OF NATIONS UNION CONFERENCE ADDRESS BY MINISTER OF EDUCATION. OBSERVATIONS ON PRESENT CRISIS. (By Telegraph —Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. The present international crisis, the influence of the League of Nations and the pafticular problems facing members of the League of Nations Union, were dealt with by the Hon P. Fraser (Minister of Education) when he opened the twelfth annual conference of the League of Nations Union. Mr T. C. Brash presided. “Probably not since August, 1914, has there been such a critical moment in the . history of mankind,” said Mr Fraser, “as at the present time, and never was it more necessary that friends of the League of Nations, members of the League Union and all supporters and upholders of peace and goodwill and human brotherhood, should have z a clear understanding and firm' grasp of the international position and the principles at stake.” He said a point had been reached when nobody was prepared to accept the word df certain nations as binding and conclusive. The problem facing all in pdsitions of responsibility in regard to international affairs was how once more to build up among the governments of nations a sense of fairness, a sense of reliance upon justice, freedom and fair dealing, instead of the enthronement of brute force and the acceptance of all weapons, even duplicity and falsity, as legitimate against other nations. The international situation at the moment was not particularly bright or encouraging, but they would be very foolish not to face up to it and frankly and clearly determine what their contributions could be towards building up moral principles between nations once- more. Mr Fraser said that although the League of Nations itself had had to retreat deplorably, that could not be said of the League of Nations Union. He congratulated the' New Zealand branch on its activities, its firm adherence to principle and its optimism and underlying faith in what it believed to be the fundamental principles of the advancement of mankind. In a crisis such as that at the present time, there should be no timidity, and the voice of the union should ring out clearly and definitely and the union itself should adhere to the principles it believed in and which it- was formed to advocate.