RUSSIA JOINS LEAGUE

Hawera Star, Volume LIV, 17 September 1934, Page 5

RUSSIA JOINS LEAGUE

Granted a Permanent Seat on the Council A UNANIMOUS VOTE QUESTIONS PRIOR TO ENTRY (United Press Association —By Electric Tele grips Copyright.) Received 11 a.m. to-day. GENEVA, Sept. 15. Russia has accepted an invitation signed by 34 members to join the League of Nations after which the council formally unanimously voted in favour of giving the Soviet a permanent seat. Panama, Portugal and Argentina did not vote. All the British Dominions, except the Free State, signed the invitation to Russia. Other European non-signa-tories were Belgium, Poland, Portugal, Luxembourg and Switzerland. The proceedings, securing Russia’s election will be completed on Tuesday.

The Little Entente’s permanent council, M. Titulescu, M. Yevtitcli and Dr. Benes, decided to support Russia’s admission to the League. It passed a resolution favouring an Eastern Locarno, and decided to support the status quo regarding minorities. M. Litvinoff, in a letter regarding Russia’s acceptance, says the Soviet is especially glad to enter the League at a time when consideration is being given to an amendment of the covenant order to harmonise the BriandKellogg pact'to banish warfare. He adds that the Soviet is of opinion that submission of disputes to arbitration or judicial settlement under articles 12 and 13 of the covenant should not be applicable to questions arising before tlie Soviet’s entry to the League.