The " Spectator" and the League of Nations A T the
beginning of the year the Spectator published an article by Mr. Murray Allison, in which he declared that the League of Nations was suffering from a lack of publicity and suggested that a sum of £2,000,000 should be spent annually in advertising the League in the advertisement pages of the world's Press. The subject attracted- widespread attention, as . our correspondence columns testified. While all who took part in the discus- sion were agreed as to the need of more publicity for the League, there was considerable disagreement as to the best means of obtaining it. At the time we wrote :— " We fear that the proposal is destined to be still-born, because the financial difficulties are insurmountable. But until such a time as funds are forthcoming we can all of Os seek to enlighten public opinion by every means in our power. Professor Gilbert Murray is right when he says that what is required is education."
We also expressed our conviction that much additional free space, might be obtained for the League in the news columns of the Press by a properly organized Publicity department. As a proof that the Spectator is anxious to do its share in furthering the cause of the League of Nations, upon which, as Mr. Ramsay MacDonald reminded us in these columns, " hang more issues of human well-being than upon any other institution on the face of the earth," we have decided to devote a page each week to the League of Nations.
When the Council or Assembly of the League is in session, our Geneva Correspondent will provide a sum- mary of the week's League news. During the rest of the year we shall devote the space to a discussion of the various difficult problems confronting the League, and from time to time we shall publish articles by foreign publicists and statesmen which may help us to appreciate the. foreign point of view. We hope that the space devoted to a consideration of League news may be the means of stimulating interest in the admirable work of the League of Nations Union, to which Lord Cecil of Chelwood referred in our issue of January 29th. The first League of Nations page will appear next week. Signed articles will give the views of the writers and not necessarily those of the Spectator.
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