LEAGUE OF NATIONS.

Waikato Times, Volume 101, Issue 16896, 9 September 1926, Page 8

LEAGUE OF NATIONS.

THIRD EDITION

TENSE MOMENTS. at league council. GERMANY'S ADMISSION. NOT A DISSIENTLENT VOICE. (Received Sept. 0, 1t.40 p.m.) GENEVA. Sept. 8. Much history was crowded into two tense minutes at this morning’s plenary session of the League. At long last Germany is within the League’s fold. This was no!, achieved without a repercussion from that unpleasant fortnight in March, but finally on a point of strategy, backed by quiet suasion, ali trouble disappeared like the morning mists. As expected the Scandinavian group made a graceful protest and a mo"c. graceful surrender to the League's overwhelmingly evident wish put the coping stone to the' Locarno structure. The Dutchman, M. linden, expressed anticipatory joy of Germany’s entry. He emphasised the mistake of linking up her election to the Council with a motion for increasing the non-perma-nent members. Dr. Nansen followed, with a happy reference to the impending emergence from the unhappy past, but lie objected that 40 members did not represent the Council. He had only learned for the first lime to-day Inc details of the increase, upon which he was now asked to vote. The speeches made it abundantly plain, that however damaging and unpleasant the intrigues of March might havev been, the League was now. determined that everything should be conducted in the light of day. The Assembly fairly buzzed with excitement, and then proceeded to take over the oral alphabetical vole. Albania had the honour of. the first vote.' Thereafter it was alternatively “oui” and '‘yes” among which Sir Austin Chamberlain’s almost devout and defiant “yes" was most outstanding.

Later Sir F. Beil followed with New Zealand’s affirmative, and Germany was unanimously declared a member of the League.

Wave after wave of applause swept the benches, even the press and strangers’ galleries, where applause is ordinarily tabooed, joined in. After the motion for the admission of Germany had been adopted, oamc the ticklish point of the motion giving Germany a permanent seat on the Council and increasing the non-per-manent seats by three. Dr. Nansen walked towards the dais and asked the. President what it all meant, but after a. whispered conversation with Mr Winston Churchill, who assured him lhal. everything-wa• plain and above board, lie resumed his scat.

M. Nintehitch clinched Hie position iry declaring the Assembly's previous assent to an immediate decision on all clauses precluded further discussion, so it became either a choice, of “yes,” or “no.” or abstention.

Finally, all Ihn Scandinavians contributed to another unanimous affirmative. which gave Germany a seal on Iho Council, and added three nonpermanents to he chosen later. A telegram telling the Germans to oomc post haste io Geneva was already ticking to Berlin, and Friday will see them seated among the guardians of the world peace. Most of the delegates were ready to pay a tribute to Sir A. Chamberlain’s persistence at Locarno a.nd Lord Cecil’s skill at ■ Geneva in extricating the Council’s re-organisation." scheme from the muddle created in March.