18 MAY 1929, Page 30

More Books of the Week

(Continued from page 785.) In the words of Sir Alan G. Anderson, a former President, the International Chamber of Commerce "must hold itsed ready at all times to speak for the League of Nations, or a conference of governments, to - traders, and for traders te governments and the League of Nations, to speak for we. sumer. to producer, for producer to consumer." . . . This is no mean task, but that the Chamber shoulders it with admirable public spirit there is no better evidence thae World Trade, its quarterly review published in three Ian, guages. - Pride of place in the April issue is given to Br Pirelli's comprehensive survey of economic conditions al 1928 and in the first post-War decade, which is rightly regarded as an attempt to perform from an international point of view the valuable national service rendered each year in this country by the chairmen of the Joint Stock Banks. The most important article is concerned with "Collective Action for Reduction of Customs Tariffs," by Richard Riedl. " lective negotiation . . . is in accordance with the spirit of our time, and With the- direction which, not without profound reason, international relations have taken." (Our italics.) These are wise words. When people come to understand that the work of the League of Nations is an adventure in realism, and has nothing in common with sentimental peace crusades, the prospects of democracy (to use Prof. Zimmern's phrase) will be distinctly brighter. It is significant that two articles deal with problems of commercial aviation. As M. Comoz says : "Aviation is international in all its essential features." There is also a sensible article on China, " FrOin Revolution to Reconstruction." Finally, in the usual" Letter from Geneva," the interesting suggestion is made that the League Assembly might, in connexion with the decisions in the Economic Committee on the most favoured nation clause, draw up a Protocol with an Optional Clause similar to that of the World Court Protocol at the Hague.

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