Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-06-14
|A|M TO P0PU[AR|zE
LEAGUE IN ENGLAND
Speakers at London Meeting
Urge People to Support
Movement.


pafgn to popularize the league of ma
lions was launched tonight by the
British League of Nations Union. AL
bert Hall was packed with a crowd
of more than 1000 persons Viscount
Grey. who received a great ovation.
presided. The principal address was
made by Lord Robert Cecil, the other
speakers being John Robert Clynes,
former food controller; DR.. Alexander
Irving. Archbishop Of Canterbury, and
DR.. John Clifford. John w. Davis.
American ambassador, was present
with his wife, and Vics Admiral Da,
All the SPEAKERS dwelt on the neces-
sfty for united and jealous popular
support to make the league reality
and success. Lord Robert Cecil, in
the course OF powerful and .elo-
quent discussion and defense of the
league. twice referred to President
Wilson. being vigorously applauded.
Hecklers and Red Flag In Evidence
the league was in evidence through
out Lord Roberts speech. but here
and there were a few hecklers who
tried to interrupt him. Several men
in the gallery unfurled red flag in
scribed 'Warships are fighting a So
to the fighting between British and
Russian warships in the Baltic
When Lord Robert was naming the
trainers of the league covenant a
man shouted: What about Ireland?'
Lord Robert quickly retorted: IRE
say so. by Gen. SHUTS and myself"
The audience warmly cheered the
speakers arguments for admitting
Germany to the league, but the ap-
plause was punctuated by cries Of
protest. one man shouting: You
bloody traitor"
Many others shouted: PUT him
out" and cheered loudly when the
man was elected.
Appeal to British People.
Viscount Grey made an eloquent ap-
peal for the British people, in con-
junction with the peoples of other
nations. to give life and reality to
the league now that the governments
I'VE fought for an ideal during the
war he said. Cannot we fight for
an ideal after the war? Great Britain
has been great in war; she must be
great in peace. Refuse to listen to
those who regard the league as an i'm
practicable ideal. 1t is a choice be-
tween life and death to the world.
Any future war will be vastly more
terrible than the last, owing to in
ventions and the progress of science
Hence, there is need that we work for
an ideal, namely. world peace
Claim of Perfection Not Made.
Lord Robert. who spoke for nearly
an hour. said that nobody would claim
the covenant Of the league of nations
was perfect. ~
sD,,f IL 1;rI
continued. which will grow and
adapt itself to requirements. There
is charge that the league is an or
ganization which favors the British
empire, but such critics have for
gotten that virtually no important
decision is possible without the con-
sent of the council. in which there is
no probability whatever that the
British empire will ever have more
than one vote.
Germany and Russia in League.
IF the league is to be reality Ger
many and Russia must be included,
because II these powerful nations are
excluded they will be driven into in
trigues against the league. Moreover.
the league must be a league of nations;
not Of governments"
Lord Robert argued that British adj
vocacy of the league was not selfish.
...She. perhaps, has less need of the
league than any other nation. Her
European position is relatively strong
er than ever in her history. Her fleet
is unbeaten and more powrful than
ever before the war. Her army is
larger and better trained than ever,
and even on the economic side she is
in better case than those who before
the war were described as her rivals.
In regard to Germany's admission
to the league, reasonable guarantees
of the sincerity of German professions
are necessary and a certain novitiate is
needed, but the shorter that novitiate
can be safely made the better. / see
no reason why it should be more than
q few months"