The main point for us to consider is not so much whether we should pay before the 31st December, but rather whether we should pay at all. Our record for League payments has, so far, been almost an exemplary one, and is excelled only by the countries of the British Commonwealth, all of whom have paid their contributions regularly each year. (We are one year in arrears with our contribution).

The Conference recently held at Dumbarton Oaks by representatives of the 'United Nations' dealt a final blow to any hopes that may have been in the minds of League supporters that the old League could be revived after the war. While the discussions at the Conference did not lead to the formulation of a definite plan, one thing is quite clear – the organisation which was envisaged by the del- egates will be a completely new one. The U.S.S.R. have nothing but contempt for the League since their expulsion in 1939 after their attack on Finland, and would scarcely agree to its resurrection. The most that can be hoped is that the new organisation to be set up after the war will take over some, or all, of those sections of the League which still operate, but even that much is not certain.

Nevertheless, even though the League of Nations may be doomed to vanish, the nations who have continued to support it, during the difficult years just as in the time of its greatest influence, have a very strong claim to be included in any future international organisation. They have shown by their continued membership that they are not isolationists, but are willing to cooperate with other nations as far as they reasonably can. In our case, the fact that we have not ceased to pay our contribution to the League when others have, shows that we are prepared to bear a financial burden, for which we get practically no return, for the sake of the ideals which we support. The Minister stated when moving the League of Nations Vote in the Dáil this year:

'We have felt that it would not be good policy for a small nation like ours to take the positive step of abandoning the League during these difficult years, and, as long as we remain formally a member of the League, we must, of course, honourably discharge the financial obligations of membership.'¹

When the post-war organisation comes to be established (if the 'United Nations' win the war), there may be a tendency to discriminate against nations like ourselves, who have maintained an absolute neutrality and have declined to give the 'United Nations' any special facilities for prosecuting the war against the Axis. I think, therefore, that it would be in our interest to be able to prove that we have been loyal members of any existing international organisation of which we have been a member, and we should therefore pay our contribution for 1943, as we have now been requested by the Treasury of the League.

For the reasons indicated above, I am also of opinion that we should continue to make provision in the Estimates for 1945-46 for our contribution to the League.