THE LEAGUE CONFERENCE

Waikato Times, Volume 93, Issue 14535, 6 December 1920, Page 5

THE LEAGUE CONFERENCE

INVITATION BY THE LEAGUE. FOR AMERICAN REPRESENTATION. ——■ IN DISARMAMENT DISCUSSIONS. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Assn.) Received December 5, 5.5 p.m. WASHINGTON, December 3. The Slate Department has announced the receipt of the League of Nations' invitation for , Hie United States to participate in the disarmament deliberations. The invitation requests that a United States representative shall sit in a consultative capacity on the League's permanent Military, Naval and Air Commission. COUNCIL AND ASSEMBLY. DEFINITION OF THE FUNCTION'S. BASIS FOR CONTRIBUTIONS. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Assn.) Received December 5, 5.5 p.m. LONDON, December 3. The Australian Press' correspondent at Geneva states that it is hoped to have the Commission reports before the Assembly by the early part of next week. Lord Ourzon has telegraphed to M. M. Hymans, president of the League, that while unable to take independent action in Armenia, Britain is willing to second Mr Wilson's action with moral and diplomatic support. The, report of the First Commission on the relations between the Council and the Assembly states that there is no analogy as between an Upper and a Lower Chamber; therefore the League is a single organism, having at its disposal two organisms with distinct or similar attributes. The Council derives its clearly-defined functions from th-3 peace treaties. While both the Council and the Assembly have distinctive duties, there are matters the decision of which is left to the League without specifying to which the right of decision belongs. There are also matters not within the competence of these organisms but which require the concurrence of the. Governments concerned in the form of international conventions. The Assembly, in regard to the latter, should endeavour t 6 lead up lo an agreement between the Governments. The Commission considers it inopportune to formulate the precise, functions of the Assembly and the Council, but any difficulties arising between them should be dealt with according to the dictates of tact and common sense. The contributions to the League are practically settled on the basis of the Postal Union. Mr Millen, in an interview, staled that he placed an amendment on record against the Secretariat's proposal to base them on populalion and net revenue, which, though not providing a precise formula, did give relief to some countries like Australia, whose present payments were inequitable, but it raised countries like Brazil and New Zealand. He so strongly protested that it was decided to maintain the present system until the committee could deal with the whole question. ARMENIA'S ADMISSION OPPOSED. BY ENGLAND, FRANCE AND ITALY. OWING TO TURN IN GREEK AFFAIRS. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Assn.) GJENEVA, December -i. The report that Mr Lloyd George, M. Leygues and Signer Sforza oppose the admission of Armenia lias caused surprise in the Assembly in view of the fact that the sub-committee recommended admission, Lord Robert Cecil and M. Viviani approving the committee's decision. M. Viviani, who was subsequently interviewed, said he„was in accord with the London decision, but Lord Robert Cecil declined to say anything at present. LONDON, December 4. The Anglo-Franco-Italian Conference's decision to oppose Armenia's admission to the League of Nations was due to a probable revision of the Turkish treaty, owing to the change in Grecian affairs. A Moscow message claims that Armenia has become a Soviet Republic. LABOUR BUDGET ACCEPTED. NEW ZEALAND PROTEST REJECTED. Received December 5, 8.55 p.m. GENEVA, December 5. The Fourth Commission further considered the Budget of the League and the International Labour Organisation. The Commission rejected India's plea 'hat the Secretariat expenses were too high, and should be reduced. Sir James Allen moved to reduce the Labour Organisation's Budget of 20,950,000 francs by 500,000 francs, declaring that the amounts which were spent on the officials, also on the publication of figures, were altogether too high. I The motion was rejected by 34 to two, and the Budget approved. POLAND AND THE SOVIET. COMPLAINTS OF INACTIVITY. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Assn.) Received December 5, 5.5 p.m. GENEVA, December 4. Mr Barnes addressed the Assembly on the question of the fighting between the Soviet and Poland. Re declared that the Council, under Article XI, would have been fully justified in .intervening. The Soviet bad declared that it was prepared to recognise a Polish Republic and did not want to fight Poland, therefore the Assembly and the world were entitled to know the reason for the Council's inactivity.

M. Bourgeois, in replying, said that neither Poland nor the Soviet had asked for intervention, nor had any country, not even Britain, asked the Council to intervene. The Soviet had denied the universality of the of the League. M. PaUerewski admitted that a large number of people blamed Poland for the present conditions, but Poland had been compelled to light a new force more destructive than those engaged in the Great War. Poland was still engaged in pourparlers for peace. She was not anxious for another war, and if it broke out again it would not he Poland's fault. After discussion the subject was dropped.