LEAGUE OF NATIONS

Otago Witness, Issue 3523, 20 September 1921, Page 15

LEAGUE OF NATIONS

NATIONAL HOME FOR ARMENIANS. GENEVA, September 13. At the League of Nations meeting Professor Gilbert Murray moved two proposals. The first, which was significantly seconded by Count Mensdorff (Austria), was that in order effectively to carry out the duties of the league in guaranteeing protection to the minorities in certain States, the council be invited to form a permanent commission to consider and report upon complaints addressed to the league, and where it was necessary to make an inquiry on the spot. The se'ctmd motions provided that the subject of a national home for the Armenians, as promised by the Supreme Council in March, be referred to a commission of six for consideration. Air Sastri (India) said that much as India would welcome disarmament, it was very doubtful how far it could come in on a general scheme. India’s troubles emanated from Russia, Afghanistan, and Turkey, who were all outside the league, j He complained that India, though she had i ratified the Washington Labour Convention, was denied representation on the I International Labour Bureau’s office on ! the grounds that she was not among the ! great industrial Powers of the world ; also j while India was under the new scheme she was required to pay over 6 per cent, of the cost of the secretariat, but she had only one solitary representative among the 351 members. American relief workers in Transcaucasia have telegraphed that epidemics are

threatening to destroy hundreds of thousands of Armenian refugees who abandoned their homes during the Turkish invasion last autumn. Cholera is rampant, and the death rate is very high. The Armenian Government will accept any form of control of supplies, which are needed most urgently. AUSTRALIAN DELEGATE'S VIEWS. GENEVA, September 13. In addressing the League of Nations Mr S. M. Bruce (a member of the Commonwealth House of Representatives, who is Australia’s chief delegate) said that Australia had bled in helping to save European civilisation. That was why Australia was as interested as anyone in the future success of the league, which, he hoped, would replace the arbitrament of arms by the arbitrament of justice. Such a change had long been realised in Australian industrial conflicts. The league considered too many minor subjects. It should concentrate on disarmament. It was imperative that the league should have weapons with which to enforce its decisions; but meantime the economic blockade should prove the most effective, because the world is so organised that no nation could withstand such a blockade. Mr Bruce made a considerable impression, and was congratulated by Mr Balfour and Mr H. A. J,. Usher (England), and Mr N. W. Rowell (Canada), who warmly supported the proposition to concentrate on disarmament. INTER N ATI OX AL C' OUR T. GENEVA, September 14. The following were elected to the Inter national Court of Justice:—Ser.or Altamira, Spain. Senor Alvarez, Chile. Signor Anzilotti, Italy. Senor Barboza, Brazil. Senor De Bustament, Cuba. Lord Finlay, Britain (also nominated by Australia). M. Lode, Netherlands. Mr Oda, Japan. M. Weiss, France. Professor Moore, United States. September 15. M. Huber was elected a judge of the International Court. Australia helped the election of Lord Finlay and Mr More (United States). The Latin American Republics proved most formidable, and thus far no adequate counter bloc has been discovered in the Assembly. Africa worked against the British representation after the election of Lord Finlay. M. Huber (Switzerland) was elected a judge.