The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-12-23
LEAGUE MUST STAY,
DECLARE BALFOUR
AND LLOYD GEORGE
Speeches Are Interpreted as
Answers to RumOrs OF
New Harding Plan.
ADMIT LITTLE is DONE
Geneva Meeting Left Big
Problems UnsOlved-
Called a Good Start.
PREMIER LOOKS TO U. S.
League Will Be Incomplete
Until Republic of West
Joins, He Says.
ADMIT LITTLE is DONE
PREMIER LOOKS TO U. S.

Special Cable to THE New YORK HERALD.
Copyright, 1920, By THE NEW YORK HERALD
New York Herald Bureau.
London, Dec. 2S.
Two important speeches made here
to-day may be read as a plain intima-
ton to President-elect Harding of
Great Britain's viewpoint regarding
future international cooperation. In
the course Of luncheon in the House
of Commons to the British Empire
delegates who have returned from the
Geneva meeting of the League of Ma
lions. Premier Lloyd George said
1T is no use to have one hand elab-
Grating great projects for an associa-
ton Of nations, another to establish
peace and still another hand projecting
great armies in order to force other ma
tions into competition in that terrible
race for ornaments which has had more
to do with war than any other in
dividual cause"
Later, speaking on one of the rare o.
casions OF his appearance in the House
of Commons, Arthur j. Balfour, presi-
dent Of the Council of Ministers and one
of the British delegates to the Geneva
meeting, confessed that only beginning
had been made in dealing with two of
the most important Observation-Disclosures
ment and mandates - and admitted
further that although amendments to the
covenant must come. the time was not
yet ripe for such an attempt.
Mr.. Balfour concluded, however, by
saying: mo one who attended the Ge-
neya meeting could fail to be profoundly
impressed by the spectacle of coopera-
ton presented there. / am more than
ever convinced that the experiment we
have begun is an experiment We can
never afford to drop. 1t Is incredible
that civilization should consent to re-
trace one Of the greatest steps it has
ever taken"
Lloyd George Answers Harding.
There can be no doubt that the phras-
ing of the part of Premier Lloyd Georges
speech quoted is directly due to the pur-
portedly authentic information outlining
President-elect Harding's proposed pro-
gramme for the great Powers guaran-
teeing world peace Persons close to
Lloyd George warn that it will be diff
cult, If not impossible. for Great Britain
totally to abandon the League of Ma
tions, although she is eager and anx-
ious to effect such amendments as Mr..
Harding wants-amendments which will
bring America into the league.
The entire tone of Mr.. Balfours speech
bears out the willingness of British
statesmen to conform to the views and
criticisms of the league so forcibly ex-
pressed during the American elections.
He played throughout upon the spirit of
cooperation, rather than on the hard
and fast provisions of such things as
| Article Y.
Mr.. Lloyd George in his speech fol-
lowed along the same theme.
THE idea represented at the Geneva
meeting" Mr.. Lloyd George said. was
one deeply intrenched in the hearts OF
the people. who are heart sore from the
torture and suffering of war--the idea
that there ought to be some means
of settling those international disputes
other than by infiicting thirty million
casualties, the destruction of such I'M
told wealth and the precipitating of the
world into such a morass as that from
which we are slowly, but with great
difficulty, attempting to extricate our
selves That is the idea they repre-
scented, and very worthily did they rep
resent It. The experiment has been
launched and a good deal already has
been accomplished.
Il think the most conspicuous work
that was accomplished in Geneva was
the setting up of the International
Court of Justice. How important that is
it is very difficult. at the present moment
even 20 conjecture. 1t might well be a
very decisive action. SO far 1t is not
compulsory, but TO make it so would
have been impossible, in my opinion
and the judgment of many, and l think
they have started along the right lines
| and the International Court of Justice
| mil 1o4a h.
state of international disputes in the flu
| ture.
Calls IL Great Beginning.
but the great fact Is that the nations
Of the world have been brought together
to discuss international affairs, to dis
cuss world affairs, to discuss the things
that trouble them as nations. things that
trouble them I'm their relations with each
other - world business transacted in a
world assembly That is a great begin
ming. a great idea
"If only they thought back in 1914 and
saw what II meant If they had had
1 an assembly OF this kind In Geneva in
1914 there would have been no war
The more one reads the memoirs and
| books written In the various countries
upon what happened before August 1,
| 1914, the more we realize that no one at
1
| that stage. II was something toward
which they glided. or rather staggered
and stumbled, perhaps through folly,
| and discussion would have averted it.
81 shall watch with interest the ex-
tent TO which those present at that gath
ering have come to the conclusion that
any amendments are desirable 10 the
scheme OF tho covenant IN order to make
Il more effective organization. There
are many things which strike outsiders
and have left in their minds the impress
| sion that certain amendments are neces-
sary. Before the league can become a
| real and effective exponent OF interna-
| tional opinion some amendments may be
| necessary.
THE second thing I wish TO say is
that the League of Nations will not
achieve a real purpose until all the ma
lions of the world are represented in it.
And no League OF Nations can possibly
be regarded as complete until the great
Republic of the West Is included We
are looking forward hopefully to the
prospects of the United States coming
into the league. 1t Is essential that she
do So
There can be no peace between the
nations so long as there Is competition
in armament. But before disarmament
is possible all nations must agree to do
So Nations cannot take the risk of dis
arming until they know the other nations
are doing the same. They can do Il to-
Igether, They can do n by esrcements.~