The Ward County independent., 1921-12-22
HOWARD HUSTON GIVES COMPRE-
HENSIVE REPORT OF ACTIVITIES
OF THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS

The many friends of Howard Huston
throughout North Dakota, will be
gnuch interested in the following let
ter received by the Independent, CIV
ing quite comprehensive report of
what has already been done by the
League of Nations.
Since the close of the World War in
which Capt. Huston served with
great honor, he has taken very prom
snent part in the affairs Of the League.
The letter follows:
Geneva, Nov. %, 1921.
Mr. G. D. Colcord,
Ward County Independent,
Minot, N. D.
Dear Mr.. Colcord:- g.
1t is long time since first thought
of writing to you and endeavoring to
tell you and your readers, if you think
they would be interested, of my ex-
periences with, and view point Of, the
League of Nations. So much has
been written in America against the
League, describing it as super-State,
as an endeavor by few European
nations to gain control over inter
national policies, and in the latter
months, as an organization which has
completely ceased to function, that
thought perhaps you would be in.
serested in having the viewpoint of
one who has been very closely as
-sociated with the League since it's be-
ginning.
In order to determine whether it has
or will be success, it is necessary,
think, to analyze whether the efforts
and the hopes put into it have been in
any way justified by results, and to
note what progress has been made
during the Leagues activity. Before
entering into that, may give you, in
9 few words, the viewpoint from
from which speak
i joined the League of Nations in
London in August, 1919. It had, at
shat time. not even come into official
being. The only organization which
then existed was the Secretariat,
(which was composed of about 81 men,
bers. I was given charge of the gen.
eral administrative work of the
League: this comprised the admin
Istration of all the services which are
known as Internal Services, as we'll
<as the business arrangements con-
nected with the League. The staff
for which l was responsible at that
time numbered about 20 people; since
then we have changed our permanent
Headquarters from London to Geneva,
The administrative staff has grown to
about 200 people and the entire staff
OF the Secretariat to about $50. Our
activities have spread from London
to the capitals Of practically every
country IN Europe. In January,
1910, the League came into official
being. The States Members of the
Council appointed their representa-.
tives and the Council began to hold
their sessions, and large number of
important questions Immediately came
before it. The growth during the
tirst year was very fast. An impor-
tant Financial and Economic Con-
terence was held in Brussels and a
number Of very important and far
reaching conclusions were adopted
which have resulted in considerable
definite acbion, particularly in the
countries Of Europe. The Council
held 8 to 10 important sessions and a
Commltte of the foremost lawyers of
she world met at the Hague and for
mulated plans for the Court of In
Eernational Justice. In November,
1920, the first Assembly held its meet
ing: AZ the close Of 'this meeting there
were 48 countries represented l need
not go into the definite results ac-
complished by this Assembly, for |
Know that you are familiar with them.
Suffice it to say that they set up net
work of Commissions and Conferences
TO dea. with a great number of ques-
sions. Particularly, reference should
perhaps be made to the Transit Con-
Ference which they called in Barcelona,
Spain, and which undertook to undo
Che tangle of European railroads, te!e-
phones, telegraph and all commune
cation facilities. On the humani-
tartan side they organized and called
q general conference on the use and
suppression of opium. They laid the
foundation for the beginning of work
on the Limitation of Armament which,
at the present moment, is receiving
such splan<tid m petus at Washing
Con under the direction of the Govern
ment Of the United States. It was
responsible for the repatriation of
thousands of prisoners of war from
Russia; FOR hundreds Of relief work
sers who were endeavoring to stamp
sout typhus in Poland and Russia and
other countries adjacent thereto; it
set up an important Commission to
! study and report to the Second AS
aembly on the question of Amend
ments to the Covenant; the Permanent
Mandates Commission came into be-
ing; and large number of questions
I similar in scope were tackled by it. A
few Of these have failed but the large
number have been brought to sue
,scessful conclusion
1t has been my happy experience to
attend every single meeting of the
Council, of the Assembly and Of every
other commission or conference which
the League of Nations has held. ]
believe, Therefore, that you will agree
that am in position to speak Of the
results obtained with some definite