MOST LIKELY TO BE EXPELLED

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 70, 15 December 1939, Page 9

MOST LIKELY TO BE EXPELLED

Russia And The League REPORT PROPOSES AID TO FINNS Assembly Debate Today DENUNCIATION OF ACTIONS OF AGGRESSOR By Telegraph.—Press Assn.— Copyright. (Received December 14, 9.25 p.m.) GENEVA, December 14. The committee of 13 which was appointed by the League Assembly to discuss the Finnish appeal last night adopted a report and resolution recommending, in effect, the expulsion of Russia from the League and assistance for Finland. The resolution condemns Russia for having attacked Finland, and appeals to every member to give Finland every assistance, and offers Finland the technical services of the League. In her attitude, Russia is described as having failed in one of her most essential responsibilities to the League and as having placed herself outside the Covenant. The committee’s recommendations must pass two more stages before they can be enforced an Assembly debate tomorrow and then deliberation by the League Council on possible means of thenapplication. The recommendations do not specifically demand Russia’s expulsion, but English, French, and Russian spokesmen are agreed that that is almost certain.

The report and recommendations were prepared by a sub-committee consisting of Bolivia, France, Portugal, England and Sweden, and it was unanimously adopted. Moscow radio claims that tne method of election of the League 6 Russo-Finnish Committee was an “Anglo-French manoeuvre carriea out by carefully selected anti-Soviet representatives of countries dependent on British and French capital. The Finnish delegate, Dr. Holsti, commenting on the recommendations, said, “It would mean all or nothing. We shall wait and see.” The Chinese delegate, Dr. Wellington Koo, when he saw the extent of the assistance promised to Finland, said, “China got nothing like that.

Text of the Report. The text of the report and recommendations is as follows: —

“1. The Assembly finds that the Soviet, by its act of . aggression against Finland, has failed, m its special political agreement with 1! inland and violated the Pact of 1 ans and also Article XII of the League Covenant. The Soviet, has also denounced without justification the 1932 Non-Aggression Treaty. “The Assembly therefore condemns tiie Soviet for its action against Finland and addresses a pressing appeal to every member to furnish Finland with all possible material and hunmnitarian assistance, and to abstain from all action that might weaken Finland’s powers of resistance. It authorizes the Sec-retary-General of the League to lend the League’s technical services for assistance to Finland and authorizes the Secretary-General to consult nonmember States with a view to future eventual collaboration.

"2. By refusing to attend the League’s deliberation# the Soviet has failed in one of the most essential responsibilities under the League tor guarantee of the peace and security of nations. The Soviet has acted as though the Council and the Assembly do not exist ae far as the Soviet is concerned. By attempting to justuy its refusal by alleging that the League has established relations with a fictitious Government, the Soviet is not only guilty of violating one ot its responsibilities under the Covenant but has placed itself outside tut Covenant.”

During general business this morning Finland, South Africa and Bolivia were

elected members of the League Council. Special seats occupied by China and Latvia were ensured by presidential announcement, but they will have to be re-elected specially. This will probably be done today.