The fact that the British Empire is included in the membership of the League of Nations makes the subject of the League of Nations Union one of immediate interest to New Zealanders. Advice on the matter is contained in the following address given recently in Sydney by Mr. O. W. Brain, Assistant Commissioner of the New South Wales Government Railways and Tramways.

If someone seriously stated that Australia does not object to another world war, you would probably be very indignant. Yet, what is the difference between that and admitting that Australia is not objecting to another world war. We are not even thinking about it. We are not worrying about it any more than we did in the early months of 1914. Someone says “Well, what could we have done then, anyhow?” Nothing, admittedly, then. And therein is the vast difference between then and now. To-day we are facing the spectre of another, possibly distant, but certainly worse, world war, confidently foretold by eminent authorities, unless effective preventive action is taken. To-day you and I are offered our opportunity to take our little part in that work of prevention, by the League of Nations. Are we going to take it? Our part, though little, is fundamentally important to the success of the League, which will get nowhere unless the national representatives know, and are able to show, that they represent the sentiments and the wills of their peoples. Australia is a member of the League; are we going to put our representatives in a strong position to show that they really represent the people of Australia?

From the mount overlooking the field of Waterloo I have surveyed the few acres upon which in 1815 the fate of Europe was decided in a few hours with the loss of about 10,000 lives. A hundred years later, the same issues involved four years of incessant fighting on land and sea over a large part of the civilised world, and resulted in the loss of 9,00,000 lives, the wounding and maiming of far more, and the subjection of countless numbers to ruin, starvation and disease, and the loss of the protection of their breadwinners Again, the sacrifice at Waterloo was of soldiers; modern warfare demands the wholesale slaughter of women and girls and, incidentally, children. The war munition factories are largely staffed by females, and it is the business of both sides to blow these to pieces whenever possible. Unthought of in 1815 were the immense bombs dropped from aeroplanes on defenceless cities, the torpedo of the unseen submarine and the agonising, fatal gases. Surely, the picture is bad enough; but now the President of the British Association for the Advancement of Science tells us that science was only just getting into its stride in the art of human destruction when the war ended. Wells, in his History of the World, says the great war “will certainly return upon a still more disastrous scale in twenty or thirty years, if no political unification anticipates and prevents it.” Such a way out is offered by the League of Nations, and the League alone; and the history of its signal successes already achieved during its brief existence, the prevention of wars, even the stoppage of wars, is such as to justify confidence in the soundness of its constitution, and the methods and sincerity of the members. Wells adds: “States organised for war will make wars as surely as hens will lay eggs.” It follows that in building up conditions under which the nations will feel safe in reducing their armaments, with the object of ultimately ceasing to arm beyond what is required for police purposes, the League is adopting the true course for the abolition of war. The civilised nations have to adopt some such scheme (and this is the only real one offering) or fold their hands, allow the old arming to continue, and thus build up once more the conditions which will infallibly again drive us or our children, and all civilisation, like dumb cattle, into a bloody horror ten times worse than the great war. Now is the chance for each of the peoples in the fifty-five nations of the League to strengthen it and help to establish it firmly by demonstrating unmistakably the sincerity and unanimity of their support. The memory of the great war is still fresh; much of the actual page 20 suffering, and nearly all the sorrow, are still with us; and the senseless futility of it all as a means of settling disputes between civilised nations is appealing to the intelligence of the world. Furthermore, the opportunity to set up protective machinery, designed by calm reason, guided by justice and truth, is while the sky is free of threatening war clouds and the national brains are not muddled with hot blood. The call is for immediate action upon the part of the individual, and the people as a body, in order, while the weather is fair, to make the most possible progress towards the greatest of all human objectives, permanent peace.

One can connect up with the movement by enrolling one's name on the list of members of the League of Nations Union, and paying the minimum annual subscription of one shilling, but it must not be overlooked that the fundamental basis of the League is good-will among the peoples of the nations concerned. As we wish them to be friendly with us, we shall be prepared to be friendly with them. We must be willing to disabuse our minds of longstanding prejudices; and to try to understand the viewpoint of other nations. For instance, America's belated entry into the war is still a sore point with many, who do not stop to consider the horror with which throughout her history America has consistently regarded the interminable wars of Europe, and her repeatedly expressed determination to preserve her people from them. Her very large proportion of what to us are foreign races, also creates a difficulty that we cannot gauge. Surprise is expressed that America, who took part in the formation of the League of Nations, is not a member. Here again, the deep-seated objection to foreign entanglements is responsible. That America has the cause of world-peace at heart is shown by the various practical proposals she has put forward to that end, of which a most important one is now under consideration. These gestures have the spirit of the American people behind them as is shown by an incident related by Miss Maude Royden. Only a short time ago the United States Government, confident in its majority, put forward an extensive armament scheme. An American statesman informed Miss Royden that Washington was literally snowed in with protests from all over the country, with the result that the original expenditures was reduced to one-fourth. Nothing could be more effective as an inducement to others to disarm than such a step by a leading power at the dictation of her people. It is perhaps not reckless to suggest that as the League of Nations grows in mutual understanding and becomes increasingly effective, the United States must realise that her own as well as the world's peace will be better assured by her membership. It may be remarked that it is those Australians who have lived in the United States who speak best of that country. To understand is the first step to friendship. Similarly we must not forget that our late enemies are co-partners with us in this grand venture. Let us remember that while the actions and published words of the worst of their leaders, before and during the war, were absolutely devilish, the people as a whole were simply engulfed in the war, as the peoples of the Allies were. We can rely upon them to be as genuine in their desire for peace as we are. Being sincere members of the League of Nations Union we shall not encourage hostile or vindictive thoughts or expressions towards those with whom we hope to establish permanently peaceful relations. Surely, that is not too great an effort for so worthy an object!

An apology is due to you for this absurdly patchy and incompetent treatment of a great subject. My excuse must be my fixed impression that the people of Australia have not awakened to the vital importance of the objective of the League of Nations to the whole civilised world, or to the fact that its attainment must depend not page 21 upon the statesmanship of a handful of politicians, but upon the proved endorsement of the common people, may I say, you and me. A firm belief in the desire of the peoples of the subscribing nations for peace has prompted the idea that if they realised the paramount importance of their indicating their support of the League, they would welcome a means of doing so. And therein lies a great opportunity for Australia. In view of all that it means to each one of us, and to those he holds dearest, all that it means to Australia and the civilised world, is it too much to suggest that every member of the Smith Family, every Rotarian, and every Railway employee should join the League of Nations Union and become an active apostle of the cause? The standard of education and intelligence of our people, our ample means of communication, our common origin our understanding of one another, are such that the work of enrolling Australian members for this greatest of all causes should be speedy and effective. If such a concerted action as now suggested led, in a short time, to the despatch of the cable “Australia has now a million members of the League of Nations Union,” would not that be “putting it up” to Canada, South Africa, and the other Dominions to help to make our Empire an example and a cause of stimulation for all the nations?

A Powerful Locomotive

The new “G3d” type of passenger locomotive (illustrated below) was recently introduced on the Canadian Pacific Railway system. One of the outstanding features of this new engine is the increase in boiler pressure from 2001b to 2501b per square inch—the latter pressure being made possible through the introduction of nickel steel boiler plate. This locomotive can haul fifteen Canadian Pacific sleeping cars, each averaging seventy tons, at express train speed. Following are the chief particulars of the new locomotive: Boiler pressure, 2501b per square inch; firebox, width inside 7ft ¼in, length 9ft 3 1–16in; number of tubes, 160-28-40; diameter of tubes, 2 ¼in-2in-5 ½in; length between tube sheets, 17ft 10 ¾in; superheating surface, 864 sq. ft.; firebox heating surface, 258 sq. ft.; arch tube h.s., 33 sq. ft.; tubes, h.s., 2981 sq. ft.; fire h.s., 3272 sq. ft. (total of all heating surfaces 4136 sq. ft.); grate area, 65 sq. feet.; cylinders, 23in × 30in; driving wheels, 75in.; weight on drivers 184,000lb; total weight of engine, 306,500lbs. (weight light 279,600lb); loaded weight on tender, 191,000lb (weight light 86,900lb); water capacity, 8000 imperial gallons; coal capacity, 12 tons.