League of Nations Union, 1918-1934

Component identifier:

Series 23

Content Summary:

In February 1921 Latham, F. W. Eggleston and J. W. Colville called a meeting in Melbourne to consider steps to make the objects and nature of the League of Nations known to the Australian people. Latham had already been in correspondence with the League of Nations Union in London. He was elected first President of the Victorian branch of the League of Nations Union and held that office until 1925.

Publications in the series include the Covenant of the League of Nations, S. M. Bruce's report on the second General Assembly (September-October 1921), the report of the Australian delegation to the fourth General Assembly (September 1923), papers prepared for the fifth General Assembly (August 1924), and miscellaneous publications of the League. There are also notices of meetings of the League of Nations Union and other organisations at which Latham spoke about the League.

The minutes of the second annual League of Nations Union Conference at Melbourne (May 1923) are followed by correspondence with T. R. Bavin concerning the formation of the League of Nations Union in Sydney and with the League of Nations Secretariat in Geneva. There are also letters about meetings and publications of the League. Most of the correspondence dates from 1921-24, with very little after 1927. There are also handwritten notes for speeches on the League and newscuttings on the 1926 General Assembly.

Series 30 also contains material on the League of Nations. The records of the Victorian branch of the League of Nations Union are held in the National Library (MS 2198).

Immediate source of acquisition:

The bulk of the collection was presented to the National Library by Sir John Latham in December 1963, a few months before his death. In November 1974 the Library purchased some further papers from a secondhand book dealer. They comprised family letters and photographs, some diaries and papers relating to the High Court. These papers have been amalgamated into the original collection.

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