LEAGUE OF NATIONS

Wanganui Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 160813, 22 November 1920, Page 2

LEAGUE OF NATIONS

THE GENEVA CONFERENCE A GERMAN PROTEST. By Telegraph—Press Aasn.—Copyright. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. LONDON, Nov., 20The Australian Press, Association correspondent at Geneva states-that it is reported that Germany has' filed a lengthy protest with the Assembly* claiming that the Allies have not lived up to the clauses of the Treaty providing that colonies and mandates should he distributed and governed by th©) League;; furthermore; that she signed the Covenant with the expectation that she would be Admitted to the League and have a part in the distribution of the mandates. Therefore she does not recognise that she is any longer bound by that portion of the Treaty under which she surrendered colonies.

THE ASSEMBLY’S PROCEDURE;

PUZZLED OVERSEAS DELEGATES ' . . " LONDON, Nov. 20. A number of overseas delegates, accustomed to their own Parliamentary procedure, and new to European methods, find themselves nonplussed at times by the Assembly’s procedure. 1 In drafting the provisional rules they ; were BU»da expressly elastic to meet as far as possible the diverse, methods of different nationalities. Bi-lipgualism, with S; its attendant sloping down of business, adds to the newcomers’ perplexities. The fact is that the Assembly partakes more of the nature of a conference thaii of a Parliament, and until the commission completes drafting methods of procedure, its emergence from congress condition into the proper parliamentary system cannot be expected. Already, after two days’_ experience, the commissions are beginning to prove unwieldy. With the laudable desire to permit every nation to have representation, these commissions have resulted in spine’ having thirty members, lengthening out deliberation. Overlapping has also occurred to such an extent that the Assembly has decided that next week three commissions fihall sit on three days and the remainder shall meet on alternate days. The Sixth Commission has done practically nothing- beyond general discussion on armaments, M. Viviani Sointing out that the commission oes not possess sufficiently definite data on which to proceed. Colonial representatives get somewhat restive at the slowness of progress, but the Assembly ' is such a new experiment that patience is required to enable it to get into its stride.

AMERICAN OPINION. LONDON, Nov. 20.American circles in Geneva araimpressed by the importance of the Assembly. Some leading publicists declare that the idea of the Uiiited States starting a counter league is futile in the presence of forty nations assembled in Geneva. It would be wiser for the United‘States to join the League and assist in moulding its constitution.

GERMANY’S ADMISSION. STRONG OPPOSITIONPARIS, Nov. 20. Le Matin’s Geneva correspondent says; In the event of a vote, it is probable that only Norway, Holland and the Argentine will support Germany’s admission to ‘the League. Over thirty nations support France’s point of view.

THE LEAGUE’S! POWERS AND POSSIBILITIES. LONDON, Nov. 20. Hon. Rowell (Canada) resumed the debate on the Council’s report. He said the success of the, League depended on the personnel of the Council of, the Assembly. Unless the nations sent ‘the. best men the result would be unsatisfactory. The League must justify itself by achievements. He asked whether the Council was composed of a kind of elder statesmen, or did it represent certain powers named in the Covenant. He believed it occupied the latter position, and that' it submitted the policy of those to other nations not represented on the Council. .“Unless the Council gives leadership,” he declared, “it must fall. If a representative on it cannot speak absolutely for his country, he has no right to be there. The Council should he prepared to back up its decisions in such disputes as that between Poland and Lithuania by invoking its economic powers. He recognised the difficulties arising out of centuries of conflict and racial animosities. Canadians had shed blood to destroy militarism. The League was the most hopeful experiment devised by man to, save the world.