LEAGUE INTERVENES

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 223, 9 December 1927, Page 9

LEAGUE INTERVENES

LITHUANIA’S DISPUTE WITH POLAND “FEELING OF OPTIMISM” By Cable.—Press Association. — Copyright. GENEVA, Wednesday. Iq the discussion by the Council of the League of Nations of the dispute between Poland and Lithuania to-day moderation marked the speech of tho Premier of Lithuania. M. Waldermaras, when he asked the Council to set up a commission to investigate tlio Polish and Lithuanian frontiers. He complained of the treatment of the Lithuanian minorities by Poland, to which the Polish Foreign Minister, M. A. Zaleski, retorted that the remedial machinery for that existed within the League. He categorically denied that Poland was plotting to overthrow Lithuania; on the contrary, it was using the best means of enabling her to maintain her independence. Meanwhile the "Big Five." the heads of the delegations from Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Japan, have drafted an agreement abolishing the state of war between Poland and Lithuania, and appointing a commission on Lithuania. A big audience had assembled to see M. Zaleski and M. Waldemaras face each other. The latter is a small, dark man, who speaks excitedly in hesitating French. Zaleski is tall and fair and debonair. He is schooled in diplomacy, and speaks better French. GENERAL OPTIMISM

It seemed likely to be an unequal combat, but soon it ■was clear that it had been a more or less arranged performance, owing to the previous day’s efforts of the "Big Five” and to the general optimism when the subject left the hands of the Netherlands delegate, M. H. Colyn, as rapporteur. The council then discussed in private Sir Austen Chamberlain's proposal for three instead of four sessions of the council a year. Sir Austen argued that the time of the Foreign Ministers was too heavily taxed. Herr Stresemanu, Germany, supported him. He said he had been away from Berlin for two and a-half months in one year, and could not afford such an amount of time.

The Italian, Chilean and Dutch representatives argued that the three sessions, though fewer, would last longer. The matter dropped, aa Sir Austen desired unanimity, but It is believed it will be revived tn the future. —A. and N.Z.