LEAGUE COUNCIL

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 26 February 1926, Page 7

LEAGUE COUNCIL

SUGGESTED EXPANSION.

THE SITUATION CONFUSED

NO BRITISH DECISION YET. BY CABLE—PRESS ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT Received Feb. 26, 1.25 p.m. LONDON, Feb. 25. It is generally considered that the League situation has been confused instead of cleared by Sir A.usten Chamberlain’s speech. It is affirmed in political circles that, whatever the reconstruction of the Council, this is an unfortunate time to raise the question. Mr Ramsay MacDonald, interviewed bv the Daily Herald, insisted that the question should he entirely separated from Germany’s admission. He suggested that, after Germany’s admittance, the Council might invite a committee of outside international statesmen to report on the subject. It is understood that Cabinet yesterday considered the matter, but no decision was reached. It is known that the body of Ministerial opinion is* that other applications should he subsequent t.o Germany’s entry. The Daily Chronicle says it is believed the standpoint of the Dominions is that the Cabinet decision should he come to before Sir Austen Chamberlain goes to Geneva.

GERMAN PRESS ALARMED. AT SIR AUSTEN’S SPEECH. Received Feb. 26, 2.10 p.m. BERLIN, Feb. 24. Nothing short of consternation describes the Berlin Press reception of Sir Austen Chamberlain’s speech, from which the papers deduce the certainty that Britain will support the French argument at Geneva. They emphatical'y assert that if Dr. Luther and Dr. Stresemann are confronted with, the extension of the Council to all intents and purposes an fait accompli, Germany will unhesitatingly withdraw her application for admittance to the League.

Th 0 Journal, which is generally Dr. Stresemann’s mouthpiece, says : “France and Britain can do as they like. But if thev persist in their intention of extending the Council they will have to dispense with Germany’s participation.”. On the other hand, Government circles betray no perturbation, and are credited with being confident that everything will proceed smoothly, that Germany alone will be given, a seat on the Council, and that further reconstruction will not be settled before the September session, when Germany is ready to discuss the question in a spirit of conciliation. —Reuter.

NO DISTRUST OF OTHERS. THE BRITISH OUTLOOK. Received Feb. 26, 1.45 p.m. LONDON, Feb. 25. In the House of Lords, Viscount Cecil agreed that the balancing of rival interests would be disastrous to the League Council. - He assured the House that no action of the British Government would he dictated by distrust or suspicion of any nation. He deprecated the kind of language used in some countries regarding' what would happen if this or that were not done.

Lord Cecil said that was not the way to approach League problems. He appealed to the House, not to tie the Government’s hands.