The Washington herald., 1921-09-25

When she addressed a SatherihS VI soSiai
workers and gave some impressions OF her visit TO
the league of nations in Geneva, from which She had
just returned. .-.-. t. s,
was struck with some Of her observations, es-
peciay when she said it would be necessary to hui
mamie the league and to bring t-in closer touch
with the interests and the aspirations OF the worlds
plain folk think that the great heart and under
standing spirit of this noble American woman enabled
her to the essential weakness of the league as it
at present exists and works 1t is hopelessly out of
touch with human emotions and everyday interests
This was apparent when Lord Robert Cecil del
egate for the Union of South Africa in Geneva, an
rourced in dramatic way the election OF eleven
judges and four deputy judges constituting the per-
marent court of international justice.
"The worlds court is in being" he cabled to Eng
l.nd. "Thus the reform long desired and passion
atey sought after has been realized"
That message did not, far as can observe,
cause one thrill among the British people. Nobody
went about that day with any sense of hope be-
cause something tremendous had been accomplished
in the progress of civilized ideals. Nobody shook
hands on it, or embraced strangers in the street. or
mopped wet eyes in gladness or even bothered to
mention it in their home circles. The fulhllment OF
of the reform passonately sought after" left public
opinion stone cold.
Now l am one of those who still believe in the
league of nations international machine which
in future years may be used and made an instrument
OF Reconstruction ana power, Out a. ioN's
as they are today do not disguise from myself that
it is, so far weak and impoten affair, lamentaby
unhuman, as Miss Adams observed
There are many reasons for this, not all of which
are the fault of the league itself One is the
very powerful and dominating interest of all peoples
in their own domestic problems with which the league
itself seems to have nothing whatever to do either
for help or harm.
TN Great Britain just now, as in the United States
i and Canada although most intensely in England,
there is great distress of mind among the working
folk over the tragedy of unemployment. million
and half totally unemployed men and more than
million mainly unemployed dreading the approach
of winter, when government money will no longer be
available to keep them bare rations unless some
new scheme is devised to give them work or keep
them alive out of public against which there is
increasing revolt because their present severity is in
turing trade and checking any chance of home de-
velopment ........
The housing problem is frightful in its effect on
domestic life in the poor quarters. hundred and
eighty thousand houses in Great Britain have been
condemned as unfit for human habitation. Four hun
dred thousand new houses urgently needed In
cities like London, the heart of the empire, there
are hundreds of mean streets in which every house
is crowded with six more families dependent on
one water tap for sanitary purposes They are breed
ing grounds for tuberculosis eye disease ricketts,,
adenods and infant maades, so that childhood does
not get decent chance and life is uncomfortable,
fretfui and nerve-rackng that it causes discomfort
and bitterness among men and who endure
this squalor An ambitious housing scheme to make
homes for heroes" was adopted by the government
and then abandoned, owing to lack of money, and
there is not ghost of chance at the present time
Of any extensive reform in this direction - ."'
Si.u,ar to;dtiops prevail in most cities of Eu-
rope, where bu'dng ceased during time and