MR JORDAN AT GENEVA

Evening Star, Issue 22458, 1 October 1936, Page 11

MR JORDAN AT GENEVA

PLAIN SPEAKING TO ASSEMBLY LEAGUE WEAKNESS EMPHASISED Pr«« Auociation—By Telegraph—Copyrighi LONDON, September 30. The Associated Press special Geneva correspondent says: “ The Assembly heard from Mr W. J. Jordan plain speaking, to which it is unaccustomed, even from M. Litvinoff. Although new to Geneva, he has already demonstrated to both the Council and the Assembly that he is a force to be reckoned with. The British delegates moved restlessly in their seats as he raised one issue after another which Britain would prefer to regard as closed. Unlike Canada and Australia, he declined to accept the British viewpoint concerning regional pacts, but indicated that while New Zealand feared that they were likely to develop into the old system of alliances it was prepared to collaborate in a collective system in which members agreed to the immediate application of full economic sanctions, Mr Jordan insisting that sanctions would be ineffective in the future, as in the past, unless they were immediate and automatic. He added that unless collective security was made effective it was a waste of time coming to Geneva. The League lapsed into futility, however, as the result of the vacillation of Governments, not as the result of indecision of the'peoples. New Zealand was prepared to take her full share in complete economic sanctions and join with other members of the League in the collective application of force against a future aggressor, and would agree to the establishment of an international force. Mr Jordan proceeded to condemn the League’s record in the Abyssinian dispute, but insisted that it was not the Covenant that was at fault. New Zealand suggested that the Governments should hold plebiscites' to ascertain whether their peoples were willing to support the League. New Zealand’s experience in broadcasting parliamentary debates suggested that the League might usefully broadcast proceedings, and thus becoriie a living reality.” THE DANZIG PROBLEM GENEVA, September 30. The Council found a solution of the Danzig problem arising out of the local Nazis’ hostility to Mr Sean Lester as High Commissioner by appointing him Under-Secretary-General of the League. He will. retain the Commissionership till his successor is appointed. ■