LEAGUE OF NATIONS.

Hokitika Guardian, 17 November 1920, Page 2

LEAGUE OF NATIONS.

[AUSTRALIAN & N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION] GENEVA, Nov. 15. M. Motto in welcoming the delegates expressed the thanks or President Wilson’s services in inaugurating the first meeting. He hoped America would soon be participating in the meetings. He hoped also that Russia would soon join, and also other Powers. LONDON, Nov. 16. At the Geneva Assembly a noteworthy feature of the Conference is that it includes thirty-six members of the Diplomatic Corps, principally representing the smaller powers, while the remaining members are mostly men with political careers behind them. There is an absence of any outstand. ing statement or activity concerned with the restoration of Europe. This robs the sittings of much interest. Mr Barnes (England) moved that the Conference send a telegram to. President Wilson wishing him a -peedy restoration to health. Hon Mr Doherty (Canada) objected to Mr Barnes’s suggestion. Presumably he did this owing to the Americans having abstained from the League. Tlio Assembly, however, accepted Barnes’s motions. The Geneva Assembly debated length ily the rules of procedure. Italy objected to the acceptance of provisional rules until they have been properly examined. Senator Millen (’Australia) said he thought they might find themselves in difficulty if they accepted rules en bloc without making provision for the suspension of any of them if it were found they hampered the debate. The | President informed Senator Millen that I provision would be made to modify any | rule. It was decided to appoint six i commissions, the first to deal with proj cedure, amendments to the covenant, I relations between the Council and As- ! sembly and the second technical organ- | isations dealing with hygiene, white I slave traffic opium traffic transit ques- ! ions, economic and financial organisa tion ; third a permanent international : court; fourth a league budget, fifth, new admissions to the league; sixth, re--1 duction of armaments, preparation of '• the leagues economic weapon, and mandates. i jt was originally intended to have a separate commission to deal with mandates, but M. Bourgeois (French) during a disciision, declared the question .■of the mandates was not ripe for decision. The mandates would require to be examined by the Council before submission to the Assembly. Therefore it was decided to add the mandates to the work of the sixth commission. DISCUSSION AT SITTING. ! (Received This Day at 9.45 a.m.) LONDON, November 16. I The Australian Press Geneva correspondent states M. Millen fears under the preliminary rules of procedure of the League of Nations, there is a tendency to stampede the Council’s decision through the plenary sittings. M. Doherty explains that the reported reference to th© motion to telegraph to Mr Wiison was erroneous and arose through a mistake in interpretation. He had exclaimed that Canada did ■ not wish to pay a tribute to the memory of any particular man. This referred to a proposal to do hojnage to j Rousseau. He understood the interpre. ter, to say that Canada would probably j abstain from agreeing wjtli the tele* ! grams to Mr Wilson, but this was-not so. 4 . Norway^Denmark, and Sweden each sent women reserve delegates as experts on special questions, Sweden and Norwegian ladies occupied seats. At to-day’s sitting the Assembly decided to permit the head of the delegation to nominate substitutes on various commissions, but such substitutes shall ! not hold the chairmanship of a Commission. Mr Millen objected to Signor Titto- : ni’s and Mr Fisher’s proposal that the Association should elect the Chairman and vice Presidents of Commissions which, should elect thpir own chairrqan. India desire 4 three of the vice-Pia-sidents should be non-Europeans jn view of the fact that this was a world’s League. Mr Fisher’s proposal was to adopt it. Count Ishii supported India's suggestion but both lie and the Indian delegate decided in view of the sympathetic speeches by European I delegates not to press the matter further at present, COURSE OF DISCUSSION, ' LONDON, Nov 10. The French delegates urged that the sittings of the various. Commissions set up to examine phases of the League’s work should be secret. Lord Robert Cecil declared the League could only live by favour of public opinion of the world, therefore should take the piublic into the fullest confidence. Nothing would induce a better impression than a definite move by the League in the direction of the full- ■ Jest publicity, thus" getting rid of underground negotiation. He moved an alteration of the procedure rule to enable each Commission, as far as possible to sit in public. Sir J. Allen supported Lord Cecil, but thought each Commission should decide how far it would admit the press, if not the public. Mr Fisher favours a modified Fpepch French revision which was Adopted. Finally, Lord Cecil accepted the suggestion that a cpmplete process, tstbal, should he issued, instead pf qd(njt r ting the public.