ARGENTINE WITHDRAWS.

Auckland Star, Volume LI, Issue 291, 6 December 1920, Page 5

ARGENTINE WITHDRAWS.

FROM LEAGUE OF NATIONS. INSISTENCE ON AMENDMENTS. SUPPORT FROM PARAGUAY. (By Cable.—Press Association.— Copyright.; LONDON, December f>. Late on Saturday Dr. 11. I'ucyrredon. head of the Argentine delegation to the League .if Nations Assembly, saw M. Hvinans, the president, and stated that under directions of his Government he would iiuit the Assembly unless the four amendments to the covenant proposed by Argentina were adopted, the chief of these being the admission of all sovereign States, and that smaller States should have representation without v vote.

Dr. Pucyrredon, in an interview, stated that 7ione of the Argentine amendments conflicted with the Versailles Treaty, lie simply looked upon the League as one for all humanity.

M. Hymmis, interviewed, siiid he could not make any declaration until the Assembly was informed.

Jt is understood tliat the Paraguayan delegation, which supported Argentina, was awaiting instructions from its Government. While there was no suggestion of intention on the part of the others to leave the league, it is well known that Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Portugal, and Chile are in strong sympathy with the Argentine amendments to the covenant. —(A. and N.Z. Cable.)

POSSIBLE AMERICAN BLOC.

IN OPPOSITION TO LEAGUE. SEEKING FOR A MOTIVE. (Received 10.30 a.m.) GENEVA, December 5.

Argentina's breakaway from the Assembly need not be immediately accepted too seriously. The main dajiger lies in the creation of an American bloc by which the two Americas may engineer to create a separate entity as opposed to the League.

Practically no criticism is yet available from the delegations of the Great Powers. Many rumours are- in circulation, but mostly they are speculative. There is a section who believe that antiLeaguere in the United States intrigued the affair, while some suspect Germany's influence. Argentina may have taken a hand in order to embarrass the Assetn- ' bly. From the- outset of the Geneva meeting South America has employed a big American news agency to give their Press almost a verbatim report of the proceedings. This absorbing interest in Latin America has aroused some comment. Pending some satisfactory explanation from Argentine the general opinion is that come ulterior motive lies behind such drastic, action in desiring a hasty amendment of the covenant.

]t in semi-oflicially stated that Dr. Puevrredon's renunciation of collaboration of work with the Aesembly docs not constitute the two years' notice demanded of nations wishing to leave the League. The newspapers declare that everybody approves the Assembly's attitude. It is considered improbable that any other South American Republic will withdraw. Herr Branting, Sweden's Socialist leader, was foremost in censuring Argentine, describing the move as against the interests of democracy.—(A. and N.Z. Cable.)

A SINGLE ORGANISM.

LONDON, December 5.

The report of the First Commission of the League of Nations Assembly on relations between the Council and the Assembly states that two bodies bear no analogy to an upper and lower chamber. Therefore, the League is a single organism having at its disposal two organs with distinct if similur attribbutes. The Council derives clearlydefined functions from the peace treaties, while both the Council und the Assembly have distinctive duties. There are matters, the decision of which is left to the League without specifying to which organ the right of decision belongs. There are also matters which are not within the competence of these organs, but require the concurrence of the Governments concerned in the form of international conventions. The Assembly in regard to the latter should endeavour to lead up to an agreement between Governments. The commission considers the time inopportune to formulate the precise functions of the Assembly and the Council, and recommends that difficulties arising between them should bp dealt with according 1o the dictates of tact and commonsense.

It is hoped that the reports of the other commissions will be submitted to the Assembly in the early part of next week.—(A. and N.Z. Cable.)"

"AN AMERICAN COMMISSION

TO VISIT EUROPE. NEW" YORK, December 5. Xhe Washington correspondent of the New York "Tribune" learns that Mr. \V. G. Harding will appoint a peace commission to go to Europe after his inauguration in the Presidency. It is expected that the commission 'will number seven members, headed by Mr. Harding"* Secretary of State, ;uid probably will include Mr. 11. ('. Lodge and Mr. Klihu Root. The commission will be furnished with all the information bearing on the Versailles Treaty which Mr. Harding can obtain.

Mr. Harding, in a. s-peech at Newport News, expressed the hope that the work!

would soon reax'h an approximate disarmament, but he added: "Until that tiree I want an American navy equal to the greatness of this nation."

Republican leaders in the House of Representatives have decided to attempt to repeal all war legislation as one of the first acts of the ne.w Confess, which opens on December 6. The suspension of all immigration until a restrictive law can be Da-ssed, is placed on the legislative programme. — (A. and N.Z.)

DISARM A TOTENT DISCUSSIONS.

WASHINGTON, December 5. The State Department announces the receipt of an invitation from the League of Nations for the Inited States to participate in disarmament deliberation*. The invitation requests the United States to appoint a representative to sit in a consultative capacity on the League's permanent Military. Naval and Air Commission. — (A. su& X.Z.J

POLAND AND THE SOVIET.

THE LEAGUE'S INTERVENTION. NOT SOUGHT BY ANY NATION. (Received 10.:>u a.m.) GENEVA, November 5. Mr G. N, Barnes addressed the Assembly of the League on the question of the fighting between the Soviet and Poland. He declared that the Council, under Article 11, would bo fully justified in intervening. The Soviet had declared that, it, was prepared to recognise the Polish Republic, and did not want to light Poland, therefore the Assembly and tiie world was entitled to know the reasons for the Council's inactivity.

M. Bourgeois, replying, said that neither Poland nor the Soviet asked for intervention; neither did any country, not ewn Britain, ask the Council to intervene. The Soviet had denied the universality of the League.

M. Paderewski admitted that a large number of people blamed Poland for the present conditions, but Poland had been compelled to fight a new force more destructive than those engaged in the Groat War. Poland was still engaged in pourparlers for peace. She was not anxious for another war. and if it broke out again it would not be Poland's fault. After discussion the subject dropped. (A. and N.Z. Cable.)

ALLOCATING THE COST.

QUOTAS OF THE NATIONS. LONDON, December .">. The representative of the Anetralian I , less Association at (iencvn states that the question of contrihutionß 1o the League of Nations has been practically settled on the basis of the Postal Union for the ensuing yeas.

Mr. E. I). Millen (Australia), in an interview, stated that he placed an amendment on record against the proposal. The Secretariat's proposal was to fix contributions on the basis of population and net revenue, which, though not providing a precise formula, did give relief to some countries like Australia, whose present payments are inequitable, but it raised the contributions of countries like Brazil and New Zealand. The small countries so strongly protested that it was decided to maintain the present system until a committee could deal with the whole question.

In Mr. Millen's view tho flaw in the Secretariat's scheme was, the grouping of certain nationalities and taking the mean of their percentages. This had the effect of lowering the higher payments and raising the lower. Mr. Millen considers that if the group system had been abolished and individual percentages adopted, it would have promised fairer results It would have reduced Australia's payment by about £22.000, but the smaller nations squealed at the increases, and in consequence ifc was decided to await a niaturer examination of the question.

In the sittings of the various commissions Mr. Milieu secured a favourable recommendation of some questions vital to Australian interests, especially concerning raw materials and the recent German Note. Even tho mandates proposition, which at one stage appeared to offer serious possibilities, is now wearing a more favourable aspect. On the financial side, Mr. Millen actively pointed out the danger of unrestricted expansion of expenditure, and urged a rigorous scrutiny of the Budget. Mr. Millen was rather feebly backed by the States occupying a similar position to Australia in regard to contributions to the expenses of the League. Canada changed her attitude at a critical point in yesterday's discussion before the commission. Many States, under the present system, pay absurdly small quotas.

The Fourth Commission, which is dealing with the Budgets of the League and International Labour Organisation, rejected India's opinion that the Secretariat expenses were too high, ai%l should be reduced.

Sir James Allen CS.Z.) moved 1o reduce the Labour Organisation Budget of 20.0f>0,000 francs by 500,000 francs, declaring that the amounts spent on oflicinls, and also on publications were altogether too high. His motion was rejected by 34 votes to 2, and the Budget was approved.— (A. and N.Z Cable.)

SAFEGUARDING ARMENIA.

(Recelvetl ll.Sfi a.m.l COPENHAGEN. December f>. Sweden, Norway, and I>enmark regret their inability to send an expedition to Armenia, and emphasise the distance and complexity of the question.

America, Brazil, and Spain are concerting measures to safeguard Armenia as a result of the Geneva decisions. — (A. and N.Z. Cable.)