THE TROUBLES OF THE LEAGUE

Evening Star, Issue 21004, 19 January 1932, Page 2

THE TROUBLES OF THE LEAGUE

SQUABBLES OVER ITS FUTURE HOME The League of Nations has struck a bad patch. It is not only having great difficulty in keeping two of its constituent countrhs from fighting, but it appears to have almost equal difficulty in settling architectural squabbles over its future home. It is some two years now since an international jury of architects proved that they were not less susceptible to national prejudices than the diplomats of the League itself. It is an open secret that the design of a notable Continental exponent of modernism was selected: that the jury then took fright, cancelled their decision, and divided the prize money among five of the competitors. Then an attempt to get These five competitors to produce a composite design from their widely-differing solutions proved equally abortive, so much so that two of the five were hardly restrained from settling their differences by duel. Finally a joint design by M. Nenot, of France, and Herr Slegenheimer, of Switzerland, was provisionally approved. FURTHER SET-BACKS, Fate still conspired, however, against the smooth running of the project. The site on the lake side at Geneva proved inadequate for the projected building, and the lady who owned the adjoining property remained deaf to all the entreaties of the League officials to sell. Moreover, as she had been a great benefactor to the city, the Geneva authorities refuse to coerce her by the exercise of their compulsory powers. The League had therefore to accept a new site in a public pajk, standing back from the lake, and, although the surroundings are very fine, the position has not the glamour of the water front. Even the one item of good fortune in the busines—the gift of £400,000 from Mr Rockefeller to establish a library—has proved a hindrance, since the final plans have been held up to incorporate this new feature. The builders are now waiting for the settlement of the final design. By this time tho League Supervisory Committee has realised the truth of the dictum about too many cooks. Resorting to dictation, they have decided that one architect shall bo responsible for carrying out the work.—‘ Architecture and Building News.’