ANGRY SCENE AT LUGANO.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20131, 17 December 1928, Page 11

ANGRY SCENE AT LUGANO.

LEAGUE COUNCIL MEETING.

DELEGATE'S STRONG WORDS.

STRESEMANN'S HEATED REPLY.

MINORITIES IN SILESIA.

Australian PreRS Association —United Service (Received December 16, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, Dec 15. A message from Lugano says there was an unprccedentedly angry scene at the final meeting of the Council of the League of Nations. During a discussion on tho protection of minorities in Upper Silesia, an altercation occurred between the Polish Foreign Minister, M. Zaleski, and the German Foreign Minister, Herr Stresemann, in which Herr Stresemann, made a remark which many journalists construed as a threat that Germany might leavo tho League. Herr Stresemann later told a reporter that ho had not been as definite as that, but he had told the Council plainly that if the League did not defend the rights of the minorities, certain nations, including Germany, would consider whether it was in their interests to remain members of the Lcaguo. Tho exact passage which created the impression that Germany intended to withdraw arose in Herr Stresemann s reply to M. Zaleski's attack against the Germans in Polish Upper Silesia. Do you want to undertake a polemic against Germany?" said Herr Stresemann. " Do you want, by your speech, to reopen old wounds!

" If the League ceases to occupy itself with the rights of minorities it will lose one of the reasons for its existence. It will no longer represent, as far as certain States are concerned, the ideal which induced them to enter the League." The incident arose when a petition from the Deutsche Volksbund was being read, complaining of the Polish authorities' treatment of German school children. M. Zaleski jumped up and retorted, violently attacking the German minorities.

He said tho Volksbund was an organisation of spies, whose interference frequently prevented a settlement, If permitted to continue the Volksbund would not only prevent consolidation, but would menace European peace. Herr Stresemann listened pale with anger and impatiently drumming on the arm of his chair. Immediately M. Zaleski had ceased speaking he heatedly replied, shouting at the top of his voice and punctuating his remarks by thumping the table. He characterised Zaleski's speech as proof of enmity to the minorities. It was scandalous, ho said, that a member of the League Council, which was entrusted with tho protection of minorities, should speak so vigorously. He denied M. Zaleski's allegations and demandod that the whole question be i-eviewed next session.

M. Briand said he hoped the dispute would not inflame public opinion, ancl promised that the matter would bis discussed at the next meeting of the Coun- : cil.

M. Briand was good-humoured when he left tho sitting. He jokingly said:— " There was a clap of thunder which disturbed tho Council's usual composure, It hid the sun for\a moment, hut tho sun reappeared. Everybody is now calmer and more composed."

The Council rose at 4.40 p.m. and thu British Foreign Minister, Sir Austen Chamberlain, left for London.

COLOURLESS REPORT.

LUGANO CONVERSATIONS.

EVACUATION OF RHINELAND. Australian and N.Z. Press Association. (Received December IG, C.5 p.m.) LONDON. Dec. 16. The promised communique regarding the conversations at Lugano between Sir Austen Chamberlain, M. Briand and Herr Stresemann is completely colourless. It merely expresses their determination to do all possible to arrive, as soon as possible, at a final settlement of the difficulties arising out of the war. Tho Lugano correspondent of tho British United Press says Germany has secured an assurance that the negotiations for the evacuation of the Rhineland will be resumed iu January, when the reparations experts will begin their task. The Observer's correspondent says he believes tho question of evacuation has been "placed in cold storage" until the reparations experts have made their report.