LEAGUE OF NATIONS

Otago Witness, Issue 3524, 27 September 1921, Page 18

LEAGUE OF NATIONS

HUNGARY’S ADMISSION OPPOSED. GENEVA, September 20. M. Take Jonescu (Rumania) has arrived. It is reported that he intends to combat Hungary’s admission to the League of Nations, on the ground that she has not yet complied with the Treaty of Ver saijles. The Council of the League decided to send back the entire dispute between the Poles and the Lithuanians to the Assembly. « Air Balfour, in seconding M. Hymans s scheme that Vilna should be administered jointly, and also suggesting the division of Lithuania into cantonal federated States, of which Vilna would bs a separate canton, with the central Government at Kovno, stated that Poland regarded M. tlymans’s report as only being productive of endless discussion while the ambitious General Zeligowski, whose allegiance is uncertain, remained in possession of the disputed territory. It was intolerable for Europe that this ulcer should be allowed to exist. SERBIA AND ALBANIA. GENEVA, September 20. The Bishop of Fane Noli reported to the League oT Nations that Albania has addressed to Serbia a 24-hours’ ultimatum, asking for the immediate evacuation of several frontier towns in Albania. He added that Serbia is bombarding several frontier positions. The Bishop asked the league to intervene to prevent bloodshed.

September 21. The Morning Post understands that Great Britain and Italv are negotiating in connection with Albania. If the League of Nations is unable to settle the dispute, Great Britain and Italy will act.

FUTURE PLACE OF MEETING. GENEVA, September 22. Latvia, Esthonia, and Lithuania were admitted to the League of Nations to-day, making the membership 51. The LittleEntente States (Czecho-Slovakia, Jugoslavia, and Rumania) abstained from votalso France in the case of Lithuania. The British delegates urged the translerence of the League of Nations to Le Havre (France), and that the council should meet as often as necessary, three members to live in London, three in Paris, one in Rome, and one in Belgium. Le Havre was urged as the place easiest cf access. A majority of the members approved of the proposal WHITE SLAVE TRAFFIC. LONDON, September 20. The Dailv News’s correspondent at Geneva states that a controversy of first constitutional importance arose to-day when the League, of Nations debated the proposed comention which is aimed at tightening up international action relating to traffic in women and children. For inscrutable reasons France both last and this year opposed decisive action on this subject. To-day France proposed to refer the subject back to the individual Governments, calling forth a spirited speech by Air Balfour, who demanded that this urgent social evil be dealt with without delay. The F renebmen fell hack upon an attempt to prove that the procedure was not constitutional, but Air Balfour again blew the arguments sky high. France’s retardation attempts were defeated by 12 votes to 5. which is a noteworthy victory for decisive action over procrastination, circumlocution and diplomatic formalism. HEATED DEBATE EXPECTED. GENEVA, September 23. At a meeting of the Council of the League Lord Robert Cecil proposed to fix a date for the convention to regulate the private manufacture of arms. Mr If. A. L. Fisher refused to confront the Washington Conference with this as an accomplished fact, pointing out that the United States’s cooperation was essential.

Lord Robert Cecil said he would ask the Assembly to fix the date of the convention regardless of the Washington Conference. it is expected that this wiU lead to a heated debate. SAMOAN ADMINISTRATION. GENEVA, September 23. During the discussion on mandates Sir James Allen referred to New Zealand’s administration of Samoa, especially the prohibition of liquor for both natives and .whites, and the provision for the ultimate representation of the natives on the Legislative Council. Sir James Allen strongly urged the issue of the A and B mandates without delay, thus preventing the unrest which experience in Samoa showed was certain, to arise in the absence of a mandate.