LEAGUE DEFAULTERS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 244, 15 October 1935, Page 7

LEAGUE DEFAULTERS.

Russia and Position of Italy's Supporters. QUESTION OF MEMBERSHIP. GENEVA, October 14. M. Maxim Litvinoff, Soviet Commissar for Foreign Affairs, lias arrived. Excitement was caused when it was known that his return to Geneva was clue to his intention to demand the full application of paragraph 1 of Article XVI. of the League Covenant. M. Litvinoff points out that Austria, Hungary and Albania, by their abstention from sanctions, have failed to fulfil their undertaking under the Covenant, and therefore the question of their membership of the League is due for examination. M. Jules Avenol, Secretary-General of the League, has circularised members of the League asking for information of all measures taken against Italy. Paragraph 1 of Article XVI of tiie Covenant states that any member of tTie League resorting to war in disregard of its obligations "shall ipso facto be deemed to have committed an act of war against all other members of the League, which hereby undertake immediately to subject it to the severance of all trade or financial relations." The last paragraph ot the same article says: "Any member of the League which has violated any Covenant may be declared to be no longer a member of the League by a vote of the Council, concurred in by the representatives of all the other members of the League represented thereon." IN CZECHOSLOVAKIA. PREPARING FOR * SANCTIONS. PRAGUE, October 14. The return of Dr. Benes was the signal for great Ministerial activity. Ministers are preparing measures regarding- sanctions, some of which will be enforced by Thursday. It is understood that they will include rigid control, established on military lines, to ensure that economic and financial sanctions will be carried out properly.

Goods forwarded through Austria will be subject to special observation.