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THE WELSH OUTLOOK The Editor does not necessarily identify himself with the opinions of contributors to The Welsh Outlook. Editorial responsibility is limited to tie views expressed in the Notes of the Month," and in the unsigned article immediately following. NOTES OF THE MONTH The League The Council of the League of Nations of Nations. held its first sitting at the Quai D'Orsay on the morning of Friday, January the 16th, under the presidency of that most indefatigable protagonist of the League, M. Leon Bourgeois. Although the deplorable failure of America up to the present to ratify the Treaty-resulting in the absence of any United States representative from the deliberations of the League-has for the moment deprived its work of its definite character and of much of its force, yet if there still remains sufficient idealism and determination in the democracies of the world, January 16th, 1920, will, as M. Bourgeois said, undoubtedly go down in history as the date of the birth of a new world. But, as we have always insisted, this can only be achieved through the efforts of the Peoples. Al- though the English Foreign Minister's oration on the occasion of the first meeting was in every way admirable, we still take leave to doubt whether the League can hope for^'much from Foreign Offices, Embassies and Chancel] ries. Its failure or its success even at the outset depends on the measure of popular support it receives, and it is for this reason that we deplore every sign of lukewarmness or unconcern. On the League depends every thing- national relations, economic and social reconstruction and ultimate stability, the moral regeneration of society- all that the best of the world desires. And for that reason it has a claim to the support of every citizen, from the most idealist and detached philosopher down to the most unimaginative materialist, who thinks of nothing but costs and prices. We wish the Churches in Wales had shown a great deal more enthusiasm for the cause.) It is the kind of support they could give which will save the League from becoming what the delegates of the Irish Republic FEBRUARY, 1920 in Paris described it as being, a monument of English hypocrisy." The people must make it and must control it, but they will do neither by treating it as the affair of experts and diplomatists. Its first business-the appointment of the Saar Valley Commission-was not of a very inspiring character, but we hope and believe that before very long the League will meet to amend the treaty of Peace and to restore true equilibrium in our civilization. Constant!" A great weakness has been shown in Paris nople and the over Constantinople. We are told that League. it is necessary that the Sultan should be allowed to remain there for the sake of Moslem feeling. The Ottoman Turk is in Europe a pure brigand whose rule has been a curse to all the populations whom he has misgoverned. Yet, whenever it is proposed to curtail his usurped territory, invariably we are told that Mahommedan feeling will not permit it. Of course, the whole thing is bluff and if any attention is paid to it the Turk will insist that he has won the war. Constanti- nople will, in this case, remain a centre of intrigue and will doubtless cause another war in the Balkans. We have every respect for Mohammedan feeling we should be the last to wish to interfere with his holy shrines at Mecca or Medina. But to Constantinople he has no right he has no claim to St. Sophia, the noblest Church in Christendom, except a right of conquest. Constantinople is not one of his holy cities, but it is one of the holy cities of Christendom. Apart from these considerations, Con- stantinople, an old Imperial and Christian city, is the ideal home for the'League of Nations. At Constantinople, it would be in an ideal position to watch the greatest storm centre in Europe.