LEAGUE ASSEMBLY OPENS

Taranaki Daily News, 27 September 1933, Page 7

LEAGUE ASSEMBLY OPENS

SOUTH AFRICAN PRESIDENT

VOTE UPSETS EXPECTATIONS

OPENING OTHERWISE QUIET

DOLFUSS’ STRONG GUARD

British Wireless. Rugby, Sept. 25. The 14th meeting of the League of Nations Assembly opened at Geneva under the presidency of the Norwegian, Mr. Ludwig Mowinckel. Mr. C. T. te Water (South Africa) was elected the new president by 53 votes to 30.

The election of Mr. te Water to the presidency was the biggest surprise in the history of the Assembly openings. For the first time the voting went totally against all expectations. Mr. te Water’s election nonplussed the secretariat, because, despite English being the official language with French, all the president’s instructions were in French, necessitating immediate translation. The incoming president had no speech prepared. The election means that South Africa no longer contemplates opposing Australia on the Council. Mr. te Water’s election was mainly due to the Mexican candidates’ inability to speak English or French. .Moreover, the Mexicans threatened to leave the League if not elected, which annoyed several Powers.

Apart from Dr. Goebbel’s arrival with a bodyguard of 15 German stalwarts, the opening assembly was devoid of incident. The Germans and Austrians occupy the front row.

Japan for the first time since the League was formed, has not sent a delegation. Japan is represented by a single observer.

With the object of- being remote from the centre of things, the Germans have changed their hotel and are staying at the far end of Geneva. The hotel is guarded day and night by Swiss police, in addition to the delegation’s own plain clothes bodyguard. Dr. Engelbert Dolfuss, the Austrian Chancellor, is also strongly. guarded. The formation of his new Ministry necessitates a return to Vienna on Thursday. Britain has invited the Dominion delegates to meet to discuss the League costs with a view to raising with the Budget Commission the question of added costs of subscriptions from countries off gold.

ARGENTINA PLANS PARTICIPATION.

MUNROE DOCTRINE UNILATERAL.

Rec. 10.30 p.m. Buenos Aires, Sept. 26, The Government plans immediate participation in the League of Nations following approval by the Senate of Argentine membership with a proviso that the Munroe doctrine is to be regarded as unilateral and not multilateral.