LEAGUE COUNCIL

Hokitika Guardian, 26 September 1933, Page 6

LEAGUE COUNCIL

PRESIDENT ELECTED. (United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright;. (Received-this day at 9.35 a.m.) GENEVA, Sep. 25. Mr Charles Theodore Le Water, was elected President of the Assembly by 53 votes to 30. Britain lias invited the Dominions* delegates to a meeting to discuss LLeague costs, with a view to raising a budget commission, and the question of added costs of subscriptions from countries off the gold standard. OPENING SCENES. OPTIMISTIC NOTE. (Received this aay at 12.25. p.m.) GENEVA, September 25. Apart from .Goel bed's arrival with <a bodyguard of fifteen stalwarts, the ! opening of the Assembly was devoid of incident. Germans and Austrians occupy the front row.. Japan, for the j first time since the League was form;ed has not sent a delegation, and is I represented by a single observer. 1 With the object of being remote from the centre of tilings, Germans changed their hotel, and are staying at the far end of Geneva. The hotel l is guarded day and night by Swiss police, in addition- to the, delegations own plain clothes bodyguard.

Dr Dallfuss. is fdso strongly guarded. The formation, of - his new ministry necessitates his' return to Vienna, on Thursday.

To Waters’ election was mainly due to the Mexican candidate's inability t 0 speak English or French. Moreover Mexicans threatened to leave the lasagne if he were not elected, which annoyed several powers. The Assembly opened listlessly. Interest con tics in the disarmament discussions. Sir .John Simon and Captain Eden bad 'a long meeting with the Dominion •delegates, which was almost entirely devoted to disarmament. The Sun service learn that Sir John Simon declared himself 111 oie optimistic than for a- considerable time. The French are prepared for a much greater advance than was expected, informing him that any convention was better than none, because its failure would loosen the ’flood of .rearmament. Sir J. Simon pointed out that Germany wanted a convention to \yhich Germany cqiild subscribe, because’ she wanted honestly to' fulfil it. . Sir J Simon told the dominion delegates till at the improved Frenc.hltalian situation was an important augury.