Reference to your telegram of 21st October regarding League of
Nations. [1] I agree with your summing up of future scope of
League. It is clear that, as at present constituted, the League
cannot go ahead on political side and that its political
activities should therefore be put into cold storage.

I agree that it is essential that immediate steps be taken, i.e.

at forthcoming meeting of the Assembly, concerning your proposal
of a declaration suspending political activities and reduction of
the political staff secretariat to nucleus only. This would affect
approximately one third of budget, of which over sixty per cent.

is at present devoted to economic and social work.

I agree that there should be a strong expression of the
Commonwealth Government's appreciation of the value of the
economic and social work of the League and of the international
health organisation.

An opportunity to do this will be provided on consideration of the
report of the Committee on Economic and Social Questions which I
understand will be discussed. The United States has shown great
interest in this report.

A decision to follow the lines laid down in this report will tend
to strengthen the general position of the League and may even tend
to attract back support of countries such as Italy, Hungary,
Yugoslavia and Spain. Should this occur the way may be opened at a
later date for consideration of the political side of the League.

Should this occur, it win be necessary for State Members formally
and publicly to recognise that the Covenant of the League must go
and a new Statute be substituted for it. Such a new Statute must
be as simple and universal as possible in order to appeal to
political philosophies which differ from those of the democracies.

Whether, in future, however the League will play any part on the
political side is impossible to estimate.

Regarding the views of other members of British Commonwealth of
Nations, New Zealand briefly expressed a general agreement with
D.O. Telegram No. 340. [2] Smuts [3] expressed general agreement
with D.O. Telegram and said it was essential to keep the League in
being and functioning, although, for the present, however, it was
not of much practical use as it could not prevent hostilities
breaking out and was unlikely to affect the course of the war. He
pointed out that any attempt to use its platform as propaganda
would be resented by neutrals. Canada and the Irish Free State
have not yet replied.

The French have all along agreed that meetings should be held at
Geneva before the end of the year but that all political items
should be excluded from the agenda. No expression of opinion from
neutrals. I understand that Maisky [4], who is President of the
Council of the League, has not mentioned the League since just
after the outbreak of the war.

BRUCE