LEAGUE SENSATION

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 59, Issue 16, 29 October 1938, Page 7

LEAGUE SENSATION

DISMISSAL OF AN OFFICIAL. SUPPOSED FASCIST “PURGE. ACTION BY M. AVENOL. (United Press Association —-Copyright.) LONDON, October 28. The news that M. Joseph Avenol, socretary-General of the League of Nations, has dismissed his chief of staff (M. Marcel Hoden), who is strongly anti-Fascist, has caused astonishment in League circles, where the dismissal is regarded as a direct consequence of the Munich agreement, and the first step in a movement to make the League safe for Fascism, says the Geneva correspondent of the “Manchester Guardian.” .... It had been known for a long time that the totalitarian Powers demanded as the price of their return to Geneva a purge of the League secretariat. The purge has evidently begun, and other anti-Fascist officials are expected to follow M. Hoden to retirement.

M. Avenol has become -an avowed supporter of Mr Chamberlain’s policy, and League reform in'the sense demanded by. Herr Hitler and Signor Mussolini was causing a profound divergence between him and M. Hoden, who had a permanent contract with the League. M. Avenol was therefore obliged to abolish the post to get rid of him.

OTHER OFFICIALS RETIRE. ECONOMY GIVEN AS EXCUSE. NEW ORGANISATION MOOTED. (Received This Day, JO a.m.) LONDON, October 28. The British United Press correspondent aj Geneva says that something akin to a purge is going on in the League of Nations staff. It is understood that other members, including highly-placed officials, will be asked to retire within a year. It is freely stated that the need of economy is the excuse for the elimination of the left-wingers on the secretariat. The abolition of the Under-Secretary-Generalship is suggested to mean elimination or transfer of Vladmir Sokoline, the only Soviet member on the League.*'” There is a definite impression in League circles that Mr Chamberlain is preparing a long-range policy of appeasement, embracing limitation of arms, economic accord, and the creation of a permanent peace organisation giving leaders of thb nations the opportunity of direct contact on lines of the Munich agreement. It is suggested that the reformed League may be the nucleus of the new organisation. It is understood that reform of the League envisages amalgamation of the political, disarmament, mandates and minorities sections, involving retirement of th« present heads.

THE OFFICIAL EXPLANATION. AN EXAMPLE OF ECONOMY. (Received This Day, 10 a.m.) GENEVA, October 28.' An official statement regarding M. Hoden declares that the League Assembly, having appointed a committee to work out economies, M. Avenol decided to give an example and to suppress the employment‘of the chief secretary.