The League's Finances, Some of the petty criticisms periodically directed.'
against the League of Nations on financial grounds will perhaps be silenced by the statement of income and expenditure just published. The budget for 1936 has been reduced to a figure more than 2,000,000 Swiss francs loWer. ethan that of .1935, and will stand at present rates of exchange at rather over £2,000,000. Of that Greet' Britain contributes about £200,000. The reduction itself' is not necessarily to be welcomed. No economy would: be quite so false as an attempt to starve the organisation, in which lies the only hope of effecting real economics in, national armaments and, on a smaller scale, in connexion with other services (in the field of health investigations particularly) which the League can renciCr centrally at far lower cost than would be incurred if States had to undertake them separately. It may be noted further that in the payment of arrears, the critics' favourite. hunting-ground, there is a considerable improvement. Of this year's subscriptions of 30,640,000 Swiss francs' over 24,270,000 francs has come in already, as well as 8,600,000 francs in respect of arrears. The position i1 regard to payment of both current subscriptions 'and arrears is substantially more satisfactory than it was 13; year ago, virtually 80 per cent. of this year's subscriptions' having been paid by October 81st, though nations, like income-tax-payers, usually defer such operations till the latest moment.
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