Evening star., 1941-09-03
Strong Nationalism
Wrecked League,
Session Is Told
Institute of World
Organizations Hears
Setup Also Blamed

Making a critical survey of the
economic and financial phases OF
the League of Nations, DR.. Michae
A. Heilperin of Hamilton College
formerly of Geneva, Switzerland
today told the Institute on Worlo
Organization at American Univer-
sity that the Leagues efforts toward
economic integration of the world
had been wrecked by a set OF factors
converging on strong natlonallsm.
"In spite of the work of the
League of Nations" said DR.. Hal
perrin, continuing his discussion OF
perrin, the world economy failed
to become integrated after 10 years
of peace Economic natlonalism
was stronger than ever. All the
conferences relating to commercial
policies that were held between 1927
and 1885 either reached recommen-
dations that were ignored afterwards
or failed to reach even an agreement
on recommendations =.
Setup Also Blamed.
"As one surveys the 20 years OF
League endeaVor, one cannot escape
a feeling Of futility. There was no
lack of good will and no lack OF
talent or work put at the service OF
the lofty ideals Of international or
ganiZation. The reasons for the
striking lack of greater results are
to be found in the forces which made
for a growth of nationalism and in
the way in which the League OF
Nations was set up.
Everybody who draws, from one
vantage point or another, the bal
ance sheet of the League comes
sooner or later to the conclusion
that the aims of international Or
eanization stood in sharp conflict
with the maintenance of national
sovereignty.
League Held Feasible.
Continuing his discussion of The
League of Nations in World Life, y
Arthur SWeetSer of the League staff
declared that the Leagues expert
ence has demonstrated that it is
completely feasible, practicable and
possible to create a mechanism OF
international collaboration, COM
plete in all its details.
Reviewing its accomplishments,
Mr.. Sweetser said the League had
laid the essential groundwork for
the future, notably for arms reduc-
ton and control, and for evolving
the whole general philosophy of in
ternational cooperation.
On the other hand, the League
had great weaknesses, the speaker
said, its greatest specific handi-
cap being the lack of univerSality
The League also was impersonal
to the man in the street, he said,
adding:
ut had no living personality or
symbolism, nothing to arouse emo
ton or fixed devotion, nothing like
the flag or a SWastika."
Narcotics Discussed.
The subject of -'Neurotic Drugs
was again under discussion by Dr.
Leon Steinig of this city, formerly of
Geneva. a member of the opium Sec
ton of the League. He traced yes
terday the successful efforts of the
Permanent Central Opium Board,
but expressed some concern as to
the effect of the present war. and its
aftermath On the illicit opium traffic.
Carl C. Hambro, former president
of the Norwegian Parliament and
now the No. l man in the skeleton
organization of the League, last
night told the institute that demo-
cratic states at war, including sew
eral of the invaded countries, con-
tinue to pay their membership dues
10 the League.
"The League must remain the
starting point for future collabo-