MEMBERS ASKED TO DO DUTY

Southland Times, Issue 23998, 13 December 1939, Page 7

MEMBERS ASKED TO DO DUTY

APPEAL BY FINNISH DELEGATE COMMITTEE SET UP BY ASSEMBLY INTEREST SHOWN BY GERMANS •United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright) GENEVA, December 11. So few delegates were present at the opening of the Assembly that the hall seemed almost deserted. The meeting immediately adjourned to enable the constitution of a committee to consider Finland’s appeal. Extraordinary police precautions are being taken inside and outside the League buildings. The public is not admitted. Forty nations are represented and 13 are absent. Monsieur C. J. Hambro, the Norwegian journalist and politician, was unanimously elected President of the Assembly. M. Rudolf Holsti, Finland’s chief representative said: “You cannot protect the Finns from the aggressors’ bullets, grenades, shrapnel and gas with international resolutions. Gentlemen, do your duty. The Finns are doing theirs towards the entire civilized

world and are paying for it with their most precious thing, namely, their own blood. We do not believe that the world will let us fight alone. Our geographical position permits us to expect the active aid of all civilized nations.”

The Assembly handed over the Finnish appeal to the committee, which met immediately after the assembly adjourned. The committee includes Britain, France, Sweden, Norway, India, Canada, Egypt, Portugal, Venezuela, Bolivia, Uruguay, Siam. M. Hambro announced before the adjournment that Lithuania had withdrawn her candidacy for the Council. M. Hambro asked the delegates to stand by day and night in order to expedite the appeal. All the delegates, except those of China, and Latvia, applauded the speech. M. Hambro, referring to the Finnish appeal, said: “One League member threatened by another is defending its rights heroically. We are now called upon to prevent what is happening from spreading. We must act with

prudence and foresight in order to make this assembly the starting point for a new League. It is the duty of every member of the League to remain true to its ideals. The League was created to keep the peace.” M. Holsti was unprecentedly applauded when he asked the League for “all the practical support possible.”

The Latin American countries have split. The Columbians are urging mediation and Argentina is urging the expulsion of Russia. Germany is showing extraordinary interest in the League session. Fifteen Nazi journalists have arrived. One stated that Germany was not implicated in the attack on Finland. If the Soviet were thrown out of the League Germany would immediately return to the League. It is believed that Finland will not demand the application of Article 16, but will merely request moral and material assistance. According to a Paris message most commentators agree that the League can do little to stop Russia and Germany.