THE LEAGUE THAT FAILED
A HISTORY OF THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS, by F. P. Waiters; Oxtord Unier Press, two volumes. English price, T is a pity that it is no longer fashionable to call nations "powers," for this word is one of the keys to understanding international affairs. Whatever the visions of people, whatever their ideals, they cannot plan to change the world unless they know they are dealing with power. The League of Nations Covenant itself could only be agreed upon after sordid diplomatic manoeuvres (for example, Japan got concessions in Shantung in exchange for support of Article 21, which concerned the Monroe doctrine); and the stronger powers (Britain and France) used the League as an extension of foreign policy. not, to quote Walters, as a "supreme arbiter of international affairs." How can it be otherwise? The League was an association of independent powers, each with its interests to protect. And though the, League had a stronger ‘binding clause (Article 16) on the preservation of peace than has the United Nations Charter, the article was not strong enough (nor could it be strong enough) to prevent aggression. When Japan invaded Manchuria in 1931, the interests of a majority of the powers were such as to make the League Covenant embarrassing, and when Italy attacked Abyssinia, says Walters, they "sacgificed the League to Mussolini." On occasions the interests of the powers coincided with the principles of the Covenant, and then, of course, it was worth while to have this piece of inter-
national machinery. For the League had its achievements: it settled scores of disputes, stopped four wars, supervised mandates, did something towards the protection of minorities, administered Danzig and the Saar, and began work in social, economic, health and other fields which has made possible the most successful developments of the UN and its allied agencies. (Unhappily the UN has not developed a secretariat whose morale and independence are as great as the League Secretariat.) Walters, formerly Deputy SecretaryGeneral of the League of Nations, has written what is already a standard text in the universities of the United Kingdom. But unlike some standard texts
this is readable.
W. B.
Sutch
Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/periodicals/NZLIST19530417.2.29.4
Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka
New Zealand Listener, Volume 28, Issue 718, 17 April 1953, Page 13
Word count
Tapeke kupu
361THE LEAGUE THAT FAILED New Zealand Listener, Volume 28, Issue 718, 17 April 1953, Page 13
Using this item
Te whakamahi i tēnei tūemi
Material in this publication is protected by copyright.
Are Media Limited has granted permission to the National Library of New Zealand Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa to develop and maintain this content online. You can search, browse, print and download for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from Are Media Limited for any other use.
Copyright in the work University Entrance by Janet Frame (credited as J.F., 22 March 1946, page 18), is owned by the Janet Frame Literary Trust. The National Library has been granted permission to digitise this article and make it available online as part of this digitised version of the New Zealand Listener. You can search, browse, and print this article for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from the Janet Frame Literary Trust for any other use.
Copyright in the Denis Glover serial Hot Water Sailor published in 1959 is owned by Pia Glover. The National Library has been granted permission to digitise this serial and make it available online as part of this digitised version of the Listener. You can search, browse, and print this serial for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from Pia Glover for any other use.
Log in