Norwich bulletin., 1919-09-09
Defer Meeting Of
 League Of Nations
First Meeting Was Scheduled to Be Held In Washington In October.

| Washington, Sept. 3.-It now Is practically certain that the first
 meeting of the League of Nations will
 not be held in Washington in Octo- 1 per as originally planned.
 1 The exact date depends upon the ] action of the United States senate in treaty containing the covenant which creates the league. Should the sen ate ratify the treaty in time to per
 init delegates to arrive for d meeting in November, it proba bly, will be held then, but if the discussion is much protracted the meeting time is eX- pected to go over until the first of the new year, some time in January, l920. There probably could be no meeting in December because of cIrcumS stances which might make it inconvenient for some of the foreign delegates to come at that time.
 The first meeting of the league
 council, however can be called any
 time after three of the principal pow
 CTS have ratified the treaty. It is eX-
 pected to be held immediately after
 such ratification. Unless the senate
 has ratified the treaty by that time
 the United States would not be rep
 resented at the meeting which would
 be held in Paris or in London. Ger many already has ratified and France is expected by some observers to rat fly some time during September. Italy generally is expected to be the next in line and Japan is expected to act during the next three months Great
 Britain has enacted legislation carry ing the treaty into effect but has not formally ratified it. probably waiting until after the Canadian parliament now in session has acted.
 The situation as to ratification by lesser powers and the large number of neutralS which signed the treaty Is not clear in Washington. President Wilson recently told senators of the foreign relations committee that he had no official information on that phase of the subject.
 When the council holds its first meeting-whether in London or Paris the session is expected to be com paratively brief. Appointment of the Saar valley commission and the ap- pointment of high commissioner for Dantzig are expected to be the prin- cipal business.
 The meeting of the assembly. how ever. which is the gathering of the whole league with delegates from all countries and is to be held in the United States at the call of President Wilson. is expected to bring repre- sentativeS from practically every na- tion in the world. Perfecting a per manent organization will be the first business, for the assembly undoubted- Iy will meet without a definite pro- gramme.
 After organization has been per fected. Cornnridtees probably will be
 
 the foundation of a permanent court of international justice. provided in Article Fourteen of the treaty: dis manufacture of munitions and kindred subjects which were left by the treaty itself to the league to work out The commissions to ad- the mandatories, as provided in the treaty also probably will be named at this session.
 Premiers Lloyd George and Gle menceau both have promised to at tend the first meeting if domestic conditions warrant their absence from home. The French elections, how ever. occur during the latter part of October and might prevent the French ] premier's attendance at that time. If l the premier were unable to come An | dre Tardieu, of the French chamber | of deputies, former head of the | French high commissi in America, l and who is consistently mentioned l in French political gossip as a sue ! cessor to Clemenceau, probably would | France. Lord Robert Cecil is regarded as certain to be one of the British delegates.
 Meanwhile, delegates from all over he world have been making tentative 1 arrangements to come to Washington l n october, on the basis of the first 1 announcements and they are now l waiting to hear of definite meeting l ime Many delegates. particularly | rom the Far East. who have thous- lnds of miles to travel. will require notice ranging from three to five | weeks