Show LEAGUE IJ E WORKS WITH ITU I SINCERITY FOR WORLD PEACE Despite Pessimism and Obstacles Obstacles Obstacles Ob Ob- Ob- Ob Geneva Congress Raises Hope of Success By H H. H N. N RICKEY Newspaper Enterprise Association Staff Correspondent GENEVA Switzerland Nov 22 It It is too soon to venture a guess as to whether whether I the league of nations will vill even partly fulfill the worlds world's hopes and make malee improbable im im- 4 probable if not prevent another great war W Ve We e shall shan have a clearer idea as to these I vital questions a few weeks after the Ute first assembly of the league nos lias as adjourned adjourned ad adjourned ad- ad and its work can be viewed in retrospect as a whole t But one mus must mut t be quite Immune to the Ule feeling of inspiration Ins which comes from witnessing events not to be thrilled by what is happening from dayto dayto day dayto to da day in a little hall in m this beautiful Swiss cit city SINCERITY IS FEATURE For the first time In tile tae history of the world practically all of the nations of the world are gathered in a a. a sincere effort to establish conditions which will not only make it possible but easier to settle their differences by peaceful rather than belligerent processes That the effort as a whole is a a. sincere one in spite of the many l pessimistic j ies es to the contrary is the big outstanding outstanding outstanding out out- standing factor of the situation of the great assembly It would be a mistake to assume that because the great majority of the delegates representing forty nations and particularly the guiding spirits of the assembly assembly as as- are animated by sincere motives ves there are not great difficulties to overcome over over- come But the fact that these difficulties difficulties cui ties are perfectly understood by everybody everybody everybody every every- body connected with the assembly and that they are grimly determined to overcome overcome overcome over over- come them are arre the most hopeful signs in the situation POMP ABSENT I The entire absence of the trappings of royalty and militarism which have hitherto been so conspicuously a part of off I important old world gatherings is one of the most notable features of this historic historic historic his his- event As one views the assembly from the press seats scats in the gallery he is re remInded reminded reminded re- re minded of a any one of a thousand conventions conventions conventions con con- of business men held every year in America The hall will not accommodate accommodate accommodate more than SOO delegates Journalists journalists journalists Jour jour- and visitors There is no decoration decoration decoration decora decora- tion whatever not a flag or piece of bunting One looks in vain for a soldiers soldier's uniform or a bit of gold lace It requires a lot of imagination to I realize that in this simple way and in these plain surroundings the first steps in what ma may well be the greatest forward forward forward for for- ward movement of mankind sure are being taken Then as one ono after another the i great figures of the world Viviani Vi Bour Bour- Lord Robert Cecil Hansen Nansen Nansen Nan Nan- sen Barnes mount Barnes mount the steps to the tribune to speak the realization comes I DEMOCRATIC SPIRIT PREVAILS I INot Not the least hopeful and quite the most impressive thing about this as assembly assembly assembly as- as session is the simplicity and democratic democratic democratic dem dem- spirit that prevails pre In such an atmosphere can the g germ rm of world cooperation and pea peace e flourish dw and grow I That it has come into being here naturally naturally natu natu- rally Milly is one of the many indications that I whatever the future of the league is to jo tobe be It is at present in a condition of i health I |