THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XII, Issue 3646, 6 December 1920, Page 5

THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS.

THE GENEVA ASSEMBLY

ARGENTINE AMENDMENTS.

Received 10 a.m. GENEVA, Dec. 5

Late on Saturday afternoon, Senor Pueyrredon, head of ’'the Argentine delegation saw M. Hymans and stated that under directions from his Government, he would quit the League unless the four amendments proposed by Argentine were adopted, the chief of these being the mtnrtftsion of nil Sovereign oStates and that smaller States should have representation without a vote.

Senor Pueyrredon, interviewed, states that’ none of the Argentine amendments conflicted the Versailles Treaty. He simply looked upon the League of Nations as one for all humanity. M. Hymans, interviewed; said he could not make any declaration until the Assembly was informed. He understood that Paraguay, which supported Argentine, was awaiting instructions from its Government. While there was no suggestion of any intention on part of others to leave the League, it was well known that Scandinavia, Portugal, and Chile were in strong sympathy with Argentine’s desire for amendments to the Covenant.

Reeived 12.20 p.m. GENEVA, Dec. 5..

i;- somi-officially stated that Sen or Pueyrredon’s reununciation of collaboration in the work of the Assembly does not constitute the two years!’ notice demanded from the nations wishing to leave the League. Newspapers - ' '’n't everybody approves of the Assembly’s attitude, and it is considered improbable that any other South American Republic will withdraw.

M. Branting, Sweden’s Socialist leader, was among the foremost in censuring Argentina, describing her action as a move against the interests of democracy. Argentines breaking from the Assembly need not be immediately acopted, too seriously. The main danger lies in the creation of an American blow, whereby the two Americas may

engineer to create a separate entity as opposed to the , League. Practically no criticism is. yet available from the delegation of the Great Powers. Many rumours are in circulation, but they are mostly speculative. There is a section who believe that the anti-Leagu-ers in the United States have intrigued the affair, while some suspect that German influence in Argentina may have taken a hand in order to embarrass the Assembly. . From the outset of the Geneva meeting, South America employed the big American News Agencies to give 'Tneir Press an almost verbatim report of the pro ceedings. This was of absorbing interest in Latin America and arouse® some comment, and pending some satisfactory explanation from Argentina, the general opinion is that some ulterior motive lies behind such draistio action in desiring a hasty amendment of the Covenant.

i THE BUDGET COMMISSION. The, Fourth Commission further considered the budgets of the League and the Internationa] Labour Organisation. The Commission rejected India’s plea that the seeretarat expenses were too high, and should be reduced. Sir James Allen moved a motion to reduce the Labour Organisations]’ Budget of 20,950,000 francs by half 'a million francs, declaring that amounts wore spent, on officials and publications. The figures were altogether too high. The motion was rejected by thirtyfour to two, and the Budget was approve^

RUSSIA AND POLAND. Mr Barnes addressed the Assembly on the question of the fighting between Soviet and Poland. Hie dccared that, the Council of the League, under Article 11 would have been fully justified in intervening. The Soviet, had declared that it was to recognise the Polish Republic and did not want to fight Poland.. Therefore, the Assembly and the world were entitled to know the reasons for the Council’s inactivity. M. Bourgeoise, replying, said that neither Poland nor the Soviet had. asked for intervention: nor did any country, not even Britain, ask the Council to intervene. The Soviet had denied” the universality of the League.

Paderewski admitted that a large number of people blamed Poland for present conditions; but Poland had been compelled to light new forces more destructive than .those engaged in the Great War. Poland was still engaged in pourparlers of peace. She was not anxious for another war. If it broke out again, it would not be Poland's faint. Alter discussion the subject was dropped.

COPENHAGEN, Dec. 5. Sweden, Norway and Denmark regret inability to send an expedition to Armenia. They emphasised the distance and the complexity of the question. MADRID, Dec. 5. America, Brazil and Spain are acting in concert to devise measures to safeguord Armenia, as the result of the Geneva decisions. THE ARMENIAN QUESTION.

The report that Mr Lloyd George, M. Leygues, and Signor Sporza oppose the admission of Aremnia has caused surprise in the Assembly, in view of the fact that the sub-commit-tee recommend admission, Lord Robert Cecil and M. Viviani approving ■the Committed’s decision. Mr Viviani, subsequently interviewed, said that he was in accord with the London decision, but Lord Robert Cecil declined to say anything at present. LONDON, Dec. 5. The Anglo-Franco-Italian Conferences’s decision to ©ppose admission to the League of Nations was due to the probable revision of the ‘Turkish Treaty owing to the in Grecian affair. A Moscow message claims that Armenia has become a Soviet Republic.