LEAGUE COMPROMISE

Greymouth Evening Star, 4 March 1926, Page 5

LEAGUE COMPROMISE

GERMANY TO JOIN COUNCIL. OTHER APPLICATIONS SHELVED. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) (By Cable —Press Assn.—Copyright.) LONDON, March 3-' It is officially reported from Berliil that Sir Austen Chamberlain has proposed that the claims for Council seats apart from Germany’s shall be submitted to a Commission to report in September. The King had a conference with Sir Austen Chamberlalin. It is expected that Mr Baldwin will make a statement in the House of Commons this afternoon, after a Cabinet meeting. The indications are that Sir Austen Chamberlain will go to Geneva with a free hand. The “Daily Herald’s” diplomatic correspondent prophesies that if France agrees to the abandonment of Poland’s claim, it will be a consideration in connection with France’s war debt to Britain. The “Morning Post’s” Geneva correspondent confirms the suggestion that there will be a compromise. He says that an endeavour will be made to persuade Dr Stresemann jmd Dr Luther to agree to give Poland a temporary seat until the September meeting. In the meantime, Spain is willing to withdraw temporarily, thereby checkmating B/azil’s campaign. Lady Drummond, the correspondent of the" “Daily Express,” telegraphing from’Berlin, says: “I learn on the highest authority that Germany has obtained assurances that she alone will be admitted to the League Council at the coming session. The authority added: “We do not care after that what comes up for discusion.” The “Daily Telegraph” says: “Unlike the Locarno Treaty, th© Dominions could not contract out of an alteration in the character of the Council, unless they cut themselves off from the League altogether. Moreover, there would be an unanswerable claim for their increased representation in the event of the question of the constitution of the Council being re-opened. This is but one aspect of a many-sided question.”

DR LUTHER’S SPEECH * (Reuter.) BERLIN, March 2Dr Luther, in a speech in the Hamburg Senate, said that it was unimaginable that anyone would at the last moment risk destroying the great achievements of last year’s policy as all the prospects which Germany’s collaboration in the League opened, by opposing Germany’s standpoint on the question of the permanent seats on the Council. He explained that Germany took for granted that no important changes would be made in the constitution of the Council before Germany’s entry. Germany did not stand alone m her views. This strengthened the hope that Germany’s standpoint would find general approval. Dr Luther added that since the negotiations of Locarno began ,it had been seen what was achievable by treating political questions with frankness and good faith. The nations were entitled to expect that this promising method would be further pursued. M. BRIAND’S CANDOUR. PARIS, March 2. At the resumption of the debate on the Locarno agreements, when replying to M. Franklin Bqnrillon, M. Briand, Premier, said he favoured the enlargement of the Council of the League of Nations, for if the League Council remained as it was now, then important maters might be submitted for the approval of four or five nations which are sometwhat distant from Europe. He favoured the proposal to grant Poland a seat in the. Council, and he would favour it. even if he saw the matter through German eyes. The League was the embodiment of conciliation- The best proof of this - was the fact that all its decisions must be unanimous. There certainly would be difficulties between Germany and Poland, but the best thing to do was to meet and discuss matters with other people who approved of conciliation. Al. Briand protested against the insinuation that France had raised this question with the object of eluding the moral engagements which she had entered into at Locarno in regard to Germany, and of taking precautions against Germany. He said: “We may not enter into engagements with Germany or anyone else- It is indispensible that the Council sohuld be entirely free in its decisions. Nations desiring permanent ■ seats on the Council took advantage of the ocasion offered them in connection with the admission of Germany. It is their right. Nobody could oppose it. The polemics indulged in on this occasion are not calculated to enable the League to discuss matters with perfect freedom.” The Chamber of Deputies adopted the Locarno Treaties by 413 votes to 71.

CANADIAN ATTITUDE. ' OTTAWA, March 2. In reply to a question in the House of Commons as to the attitude of.the Government in regard to the admission of Germany to the League of Nations, and also as to the granting of permanent seats on the Council to other countries, the Acting Government Leader (Mr La Pointe) replied that he thought the general opinion favoured the admission of Germany and the giving to her of a seat on the Council- In regard to the admission of Spain or Brazil, he said he did not think that it was appropriate for the Government to announce its attitude until a formal application for such, seats had been made.