An International Experiment. By H. A. L Fisher. (Clarendon Press.
2s. net.)—This pamphlet contains the Earl Grey Memorial Lecture delivered at Newcastle on February 26th by the Minister of Education, who made a powerful plea for the League of Nations and described the work done by the Council and the Assembly up to the present time. Mr. Fisher discussed some of the objections raised by friends of the League to its constitu- tion. The Council was accused of continuing " secret diplomacy" because it discussed matters in private before announcing its decision. Mr. Fisher reminded the critics that the Council had to be unanimous. " But it is easier for eight or nine elderly men to feel their way towards unanimity, if they are not com- pelled to conduct their converging manoeuvres under the microscopes and telescopes of the Press, but are permitted to shuffle about a little in slippers, so to speak, to hazard a few preliminary impressions which are not placed upon public record, and to take up positions from which they may retreat without loss of credit as the argument demands." Mr. Fisher pointed out that the important thing was not so much the preliminary conversation as the final unanimous decision. He expressed the hope that the supervision of the mandatories by the League would benefit millions of coloured people. He admitted thafthe cost of administering the mandate territories would bear hardly upon the taxpayer. But " the pg)icy of splendid isolation is difficult for any Power and impossible for an Empire whose territories are scattered over every quarter of the globe."
Previous page
