Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1920-01-23
LEAGUE HOLDS
FIRST SESSION
World Union Formally Started in
French Foreign Office
at Paris.
PROTEST FROM THE IRISH
Leon Bourgeois. Presiding Officer, in
Addressing the Council, Expresses
Regret at Absence ST United
States at the Opening.


Paris, Jan. 9-Representative of
France, Great Britain, Italy, Greece,
Belgium. Spain. Japan and Brazil.
members of the council of the League
Of Nations, met in the clock" room of
the French foreign office for the first
meeting in the history of the league.
The council organized at 1890
o'clock by eIecting Leon Bourgeois
chairman and confirming the choice Of
Sir Eric Drummond of Great Britain
as general secretary.
The first official act of the council
was the appointment of a commission
20 trace upon the spot the frontiers
of the territory of tne Sarre basin.
The council received its first formal
protest to be presented to 1t almost
before it came into being with todays
initial session. The protest was from
''the ENJOYS of the elected government
of the Irish republic against "the un-
real English simulance of an inter-
national league of peace
Leon Bourgeois, French representa-
tive, who presided, said:
"The task of presiding at this meet
ing and inauguratfng this great inter-
national institution should have fallen
to President Wilson. WeN respect the
reasons which still delay final decision
by orr friends in Washington. but ex-
press tle hope that their difficulties
soon will be overcome and that a rep
resentatiye Of the great American re-
public will occupy the place awaiting
him among u.s. The work of the coun-
Gil will then assume definite charac-
ter and will have that particular force
which should be associated with our
work.
January 16. 1920, will go down in
history as the date Of the birth OF a new
world. Decisions to be reached will
be in the name of all nations adher-
ing 70 the first covenant of the league.
Ii will be the first decree of all free
nations leaguing themselves together.
for the first time in the world to sub
stitute right for might. But the or
ganization of the League of Nations
Will not be complete until the assem-
bly, Of all the states meets"
Earl Curzon, British secretary Of
state for foreign affairs, and that ma
tion's representative on the council Of
the league. said:
ION behalf of the British empire I
desire to express the loyalty of my
government and the external domln-
ions of the British crown to the spirit
underlying the covenant of the League
of Nations. 1t is our intention. by
every means in CDR power to insure
its practical efficiency. 1t is our firm
belief that through its instrumentalty
alone We can hope to insure that such
miseries that the world has expert
enced during the last five years shall
not be repeated and that a new era Of
interna<i onal relationship shall dawn.
1.-THE League of Nations is an ex-
preston of the universal desire for
mankind, and provides machinery by
which practical effect may be given
the principles of International friend
ship and good understanding The sue
cess of the labors Of the peace con-
ference is a good algury for the fu-
turc of the League Of Nations sor the
first time an attempt was made to
bring together under the auspices Of
the league representatives Of govern
ments, employees and labor, and an
advance exceeding the results of the
entire work of the previous quarter Of
century has been made in the field
of international action on industrial
questions"
All the members of the council CALI
ed for by the covenant of the league,
with the exception of the representa-
tives of the United States, were pres.
ent when NJ Bourgeois called the
meeting to order
After the appointment of the COM
missioners, NJ. Bourgeois proposed
London as the place for the next meet
ing of the council. and this was APP
proved. Lord Curzon suggested leav-
ing the date and the order of business
open. to be decided by the chairman
and the secretary, since. he said, 'it
will be necessary to consult the United
States on great many questions like
ly to arise"