ISBN: Ostalo
Godina izdanja: 1999
Jezik: Engleski
Autor: Strani

THE LAST SECRETARY GENERAL SEAN LESTER AND THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS
Tekst: Douglas Gageby
Izdavač: Town House, Dublin 1999.
Štampa: Colour Books Ltd, Ireland
Tvrd povez, zaštitni omot, 276 stranica, 22x15cm
Dobro očuvano

- Dizajn korica: Jason Ellams
- Fotografija na koricama: Prva skupština Društva naroda, 19. novembar 1920. (Dvor Reformacije, Ženeva), iz Palate Društva naroda, autor Luj Šerone (L`Illustration, Pariz, 1938)

`THIS BOOK, BASED ON SEAN LESTER`S DIARIES, TELLS FOR THE FIRST TIME THE STORY OF A UNIQUE IRISHMAN, WHO CAME TO HOLD THE HIGHEST OFFICE IN THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS.
JOHN ERNEST LESTER, GREW UP IN A METHODIST FAMILY IN BELFAST. HE BEGAN HIS CAREER AS A JOURNALIST, AND WAS ACTIVE IN THE IRISH NATIONAL MOVEMENT.
HE WAS THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER TO THE FREE CITY OF DANZIG (NOW GDANSK) IN THE TROUBLED YEARS LEADING UP TO WORLD WAR II. AND LATER HE BECAME ACTING SECRETARY-GENERAL OF THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS, HOLDING OUT IN GENEVA THROUGHOUT THE WAR YEARS. ANTHONY EDEN WROTE TO HIM AT THIS TIME:
THE FACT THAT YOU ARE STILL KEEPING THE FLAG FLYING AT GENEVA HAS... A MORAL AND POLITICAL SIGNIFICANCE WHICH COULD PERHAPS ONLY BE ACCURATELY MEASURED IF YOU WERE EVER OBLIGED TO HAUL IT DOWN. IT IS AN OUTWARD SIGN OF THE HOLLOWNESS AND TRANSIENCE OF THE GERMAN `NEW ORDER`...
PHILIP NOEL-BAKER, A MINISTER IN THE BRITISH POST-WAR LABOUR GOVERNMENT, DESCRIBED HIM THUS:
CALM, PATIENT, UNAMBITIOUS, RESOLUTE AND BRAVE, LESTER HAD EVERY QUALITY THAT WAS NEEDED AS SECRETARY-GENERAL I LIKE TO THINK OF HIM IN 1940, WHEN HE ASSUMED HIS CHARGE, HIS STAFF SCATTERED ACROSS THE OCEANS, HIS BUDGET CUT BY 75%, A FEW SCORE OF HELPERS BESIDE HIM IN THIS ONCE BUSY PLACE, THE ENEMIES OF THE LEAGUE WITH THE CONTINENT ALREADY AT THEIR FEET, THE NAZIS PREPARING TO STORM THE LAST STRONGHOLD OF LIBERTY AND PEACE... I LIKE TO THINK OF SEAN LESTER AT THAT MOMENT. AND WHEN I DO, THE WORDS OF SENECA COME INTO MY MIND: `WITH NOTHING TO HOPE FOR, HE DESPAIRED OF NOTHING`, THE ASSEMBLY AND THE UNITED NATIONS HAVE JUSTIFIED HIS GREAT COURAGE AND HIS HOPE.`




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