Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-22
ACTION AT LEAGUE FARLEY
j ASSURED BY HENDERSON
British LabOrite Not to Be JOckeyed Out
@as of Presidency at big Show"
i'm Geneva. ~ Sc

There are some people who say the
drift has already begun" continued
Mr.. Henderson. They say that ma
tons are falling into the system of old
alliances for warlike ends and that
these alliances are undermining the
authority and the covenant of the
League of Nations. This is dangerous
talk. No alliance car legally be made
of the League the authority Of which
is supreme. No government, however
powerful, will desire or dare to flout
the League or violate the covenant if
the nations put up q united front
against it.
Members Of the League, especially,
are bound to the policy Of interna-
tional disarmament by the most OBJ
viouS considerations Of material self
interest. When looking at the condi-
ton of the world today we see un-
employment. poverty, distress and po-
litical unrest on every hand Every
government is in difficulties and suf-
ferings are in some measure part of
the aftermath the last war left be-
hind The history of the last two
decades has made it abundantly clear
that for every nation, whether they be
members of the League or not. preven-
ton of war must be secured"
Pointing out that the United States,
Turkey, Soviet Russia and other non
members of the League have cooper
ated in the preliminary work toward
disarmament, Mr.. Henderson declared
I'VE are happy to know that this col
liberation will continue to the end"
since an effective scheme for armament
limitation and reduction is essential for
the future welfare of all peoples.
Analyses Era Of Unrest.
Doubtless we will be told continu-
ally that the present is not good time
for armament reduction" Mr. Hender-
son confesseS. There obviously is arx-
iety, unrest, fear, and there is even talk
of war. But in how great a measure is
this unrest simply the result of the
ornaments that now exist and of the
fear of whether or not war can actually
be prevented when 1t threatenS?" he
asks.
I'VE must show the world that our
work Is not on paper only, that we have
renounced war, that we have renowned
as well the spirit by which war is caused
end that We are prepared to progress
sively renounce the ornaments by which
war Is carried on. Only in this way can
we fulfil the responsibilities which des-
tiny has laid upon us. Statesmen are
anSwerable to mankind, and if they
fail in this enterprise they will be be-
tray1ng the confidence OF the peoples
they represent.
Everywhere the common men and
women of the world want to see this
great achievement. They detest and
abominate war. When we speak for
peace and disarmament, when we speak
against the anarchic militarism of the
past, we speak not for ourselves only,
not for governments, but for those
voicelesS millions who have fixed their
hopes on this work which we have
begun and for which we should be de-
termined to do everything that lies in
our power to insure full and complete
success"
Huge Gathering Expected.
At Geneva preparations are going
rapidly forward for welcoming the con-
ference delegates. Advance estimates
indicate around 5000 military, naval,
aerial, political and economic experts,
to say nothing of statesmen and diplo-
mats, will compose the 50 delegations.
In addition to these will be about 500
newspaper men, professional lobbyists.
peace advocates, observers and others.
A new conference hall has been built
by the Canton Of Geneva and three new
hotels will open their doors on Febru-
airy /. The city is converting the Kur-
saal into Conference Club" and
planning elaborate entertainment of all
kinds for the visitors so that their ex-
tended deliberations will not become
too acrimonious.
Forty sound-proof telephone booths
which will give immediate connections
with most European capitals and North
and South America will be installed,
while two American radio bYoadcastine
systems will have their announcers on
the scene for nightly reviews of the
situation.
Where only a few dozen of the
Leagues Interpreters, translators and
secretariat were needed for the Coolidge
Naval Conference in 1927, practically
the entire force, of more than 400
persons, will be available for the coming
parley. The League, in effect, will stand
by for q year, devoting all it's energies
to the problem which will prove its
vindication-or failure.