Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-11-10

most OF the delegates wearing sack suits,
and one or two getaways. The only
nom European bit Of colorful costume
was the white and gold turban Of
delegate from India. The pages wear
armbands on civilian clothes rather
than uniforms. I was told by one of
the secretariat that this spirit runs
through the entire organization; he
pointed out to me the doors Of the oficeS
In the Labor Bureau Building, with
simple "Mr." before each mans name,
even though he CHANGED to be Q
doctor" or director"
Five impressions Of the addresses and
activities Of the League rest strong
upon me:
/. The personal ability, the idealism
and the loyalty to the League purposes
of M. Ryiand. When the League was
first organized we heard that the French
had to enter it to be decent about tie
negotiations and to secure certain tNsNs
advantages they wished, but that they
were supercilious toward it. Nor were
we inclined to think of the League rs
being the fruit of French, as much as
it is of Anglo-Saxon political genius.
M. BRAND mounted the tribune
with a spry step that belied his enor-
nous, hulking torso and turned himself
loose on a crowded hall which needed
then no police regulations to maintain
silence. Without a note he spoke. He
lauded the progress of the League dur
ing its 10 years of life, and pledged
France to the optional clauses and to
the determination to solve all problems
without recourse to war. The skeptical
thought occurred that this was oratory.
Certainly there was oratory. But I am
reminded OF what Abe Humn1el the
notorious lawyer, once said apropoS di-
vorce proceedings, Whatever you say
to woman, If you don't want to get
into trouble, for Heavens sake don't
put 1t into writingl" Brands words
have been put into writing in two ON
cial languages, and spread by wireless
over the world. No man or nation
could ever go back on such unequivocal
statements without sounding o death
knell to itself or to civilization.
Well GroOmed Appearance.
2. The British Labor party delega-
ton stood out with its well Sroorned
appearance, its concerted intellisence
and It's youthful enthusiasm. One Of
their number pointed out at q confer.
ence OF students of international affairs
that the position Of the party as govern
ment was decidedly more secure TODAY
than It was few years ago when they
held the power. The policies of the
party represent not the views of one or
two men, but those of q party confer.
ence. Still, as political futures were al.
ways uncertain, the government planned
to execute its policies with speed. The
British government had not contributed
to the League as it should have done
and now they were going to do somes
thing. To be sure. Sir Austen Chamber.
lain might be little perturbed. but he
could be comforted by the fact that che
was wearing on one leg the Garter he
mad received" He closed his talk BY
the remark that when q Socialist
movement loses courage, then Conn
munism arises. We do not propose IA
lose courage" Whether it was Macdon.
ala or Henderson or Graham or any
others OF the delegation, caught the
note OF intelligent planning, and 3 come
mon, almost a religious, enthusiasm for
their cause.
3. Everywhere and at every point was
Sounoed the conviction that all prob.
lens were to be settled by conference
and compromise; never BY force. OTss
OF the Labor party said an nargument''
ne used with telling. force In his cam.
paign was this, DO YOU know of aY1v
question important enough to be set.
lied In our way for US to send out our
/ flnest young men to get all mashed IA
over it?" BRAND pointed out that II
mere was the will to settle problems by
reason, it can be done. He said that IL
what. he felt at The Hague conference:
Inc problem must be settled, His own
people, ne stated, would not be happy
10 nave him return from the conferences
unless he had sacrificed something for
the cause OF peace. -. OF course, this
may be interpreted as a skillful ration
allzation on his part; but nevertheless
person with an open mind and some
memory OF history must recognize q
totally new orientation Of the political
mind at Geneva toward peace.
Little IS seen by the casual visitor OF
the enormous work carried on by the
secretariat fufthertng the Leagues ends.
MOI only is there the complicated mass
OF technical detail found in CORE
spondences with the governments OF
, Ine worlo, research on far-flung prob.
ien1s, direction Of agenda for commit.
tees and commissions to be attended Ia.
there Is the leayen Of the League spirit
spread tnvisibly by the individual MEM
oerS OF the Secretariat. Before one N
tne commissions delegate from q Bal
kan state rose and delivered a bitter at.
TACK on an enemy Balkan country. The
osIegates OF the enemy country grew
, more exclteo ny the minute, and there
Was every possibility for an acrimonious
airing OF personal grudgeS, quite aside
from the question at issue. one of the
secretariat went quietly over to one Of
the enemy delegates and requested
MIN to make no public reply to the
speech. He, the secretary, would ar
range private meeting outside, where
the personal matters could be talked
over the enemy" delegate swallowed
MS wrath for the time being; the speak
err finished: no one replied-and the
public present land perhaps he hfmself)
felt he had exhibited himself in a fool
iSh way. Incidents like this On the part
OF the secretariat are of common occur
renee. In fact the settlement of per.
sonal differences and the accomplish
ment OF committee business In the lob
bies and about the lunch table have
gwen rise to the current phrase, hotel
diplomacy"
Problem Of Smaller Nations.
T. The League has a problem to edu-
cate and integrate. without domination,
the representatives of the smaller ma.
tons. Wherever the maladjuSted MI
nority was the national problem it was
presented to the League for immediate
attention, sometimes with the SugHes-
ton that the larger powers were so busy
talking about their own problems of Sc
curity and disarmament they neglected
the problems of others. Faith without
works is dead" said one small-nation
delegate. Lets have fewer words and
more action" It was refreshing on the
whole. after the eulogies delivered by
the representatives of the large powers
on the accomplishment of the League
during its first 10 years, to hear some
unknown delegate of q country, of
whose implication most Of us are un-
aware. stand up in public and remind
the League of what 1t had not done.
During a discussion of expenditure in
the settlement Of the recent controversy
between South American state one OF
the newer delegates questioned the pro-
priety of spending some $2S,0 on tele-
grams to South Americal