LEAGUE OF NATIONS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19718, 18 August 1927, Page 9

LEAGUE OF NATIONS.

PROCEDURE OF COUNCIL. CONTROVERSY IN FRANCE. ALLEGED SECRET CONCLAVES. CERTAIN MATTERS SHELVED. By Telegraph—Picas Association—Copyright. (Received August 17, 7.18 p.m.) A. and N.Z. LONDON. Aug. 17. A controversy is raging in Paris as a sequel to the intimation given by M. Henri de Jonvenal that he did not wish again to bo a member of the French delegation to the Assembly of the League of Nations at Geneva. The most important count in M. do Jouvcnal's indictment was the habit of tho Foreign Ministers of the great Powers while they are at Geneva of conferring outside the league. Ho alleged that they shelved important issues or prevented their discussion either by the Council or the Assembly. Opponents of M. de Jouvenal, on the other hand, ascribe his resignation to some petty cause, such as jealousy of M. Paul Boncour, whom the Foreign Minister, M. Briand, has of late encouraged to lead the French delegation when the Premier, M. Poincare,. or himself were absent. The diplomatic correspondent of tho Daily Telegraph expresses tho opinion that repercussions will probably occur at, the meeting.of tho League in September. He says the representatives of the smaller Powers are likely to raise the whole question when tho British proposal to reduce the meetings of the Council to three instead of four a year is revived. Critics point out that when the great Powers were represented by independent statesmen such as the Earl of Balfour, M. Leon Bourgeois or Signor Tittoni, far more numerous and important issues were settled than at present, and tho League' commanded a greater prestige. It is argued that between 1920 and 1925 the League did find some first-class solutions of grave questions, whereas the Council of Foreign Ministers in the past has seldom done more than shelve subjects brought up for discussion.