"League Must Face Issue"

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 211, 22 September 1937, Page 5

"League Must Face Issue"

Pfess Assn.-

WAR IN FAR EAST LitvinoR Lashes Out At Aggressors SPAIN, CHINA, ABYSSINIA

(By Telegraph—

-Codvright.)

(Received 22, 9.45 a.m.) GENEVA, Sept 21. Warning the League against postponing or side-stepping the issues, Mr S. M. Bruce, tlie Austi-'alian representative in the League of Nations Assembly, urged the Council to endeavour to arrange a conference of Powers concerned in the Far East, whetlier members or non-members of the League with a view to contaetiiig the. coUntries engaged in the dispute and attempting to arrange a settlement or such concerted measures as were necessary. "The Sino-Japanese hostilities necessitate inimediate and explieit consideration of the League function as a poli-

tical organisation," he said, "It is imperative that the League skould face the reality of China's appeal." He pointed out that Article 11 of the Covenant provided means for transcending the Iimitations of the Leagues present membership, and he urged action itt that direction. M. Litvinoff (Eussla), in addressing the Assembly, laslied out at "masked and naked aggression." He declared that two members of the League Council had been subjected to invasion, while the commercial vessels and warships of other nations had been victims of every kind of attaclc. Japan was pouring hundreds of tkousands of men into China, paralysing the trade of one of the gx'eatest commereial centres in the world, while

Spain similarly had been subjected. to invasion by foreign armies and her magnificent cities had been bombarded; yet the League seoretariat's report did not refiect these events. "It appears," ke said, "that tke League laust be saved like a gentle maiden from tke Suspicion tkat such things kappen. "It is impossible to speak of nonintervention Witkout irony wken tke piarties to it ,have sent wkole armed divisions to Spain and wken tkeir warskips are bombarding Spanish ports and sinking neutral commercial vessels." iVL 1 itvinoff regretted tke absence of tke United States ffbm tke League, wkick so badly needed its tremendous influonce. He added tkat ke was convinced tke League could afford Spain and China rnore assistance. It would be preferable to spare the lives of tens of thousands of victims than to spare the feelings of the aggressors. Tke League's passivity, ke declared, kad ied to tke attaelcs on Abyssinia, Spain and China.