5 NOVEMBER 1927, Page 2

On Thursday, October 27th, Sir Austen Chamberlain, who was the

guest at luncheon of the Aldwych Club, spoke very hopefully of the League of Nations. He said that there was now a general readiness to bring into the light of day such delicate subjects as used to be reserved for secret conferences. Discussions at Geneva always showed what was practicable and put vague phrases at a discount. No true friends of the League, said Sir Austen, wanted it to become a subject of party controversy. His own endeavour had been to shape such a policy as might be acceptable to whatever Government followed the present Government. He did not pretend that peace was ensured, but he could not accept the alarniist pictures which Mr. Lloyd George had been recently drawing. * * * *