New-York tribune., 1920-12-05
Delegates Say They Will
Not Return to Assembly
Until 1t Accepts Their
Proposed Amendments
Changes Asked Are
Held Too Sweepin!e,*
Canadian Offers Motion &
Rid Covenant Of Articles
X; Council is Attacked
BY Ralph Courtney
Special Cable to The Tribune


Copyright. 1920. New York Tribuno 1,r
GENEVA, Dec. 4.-Thc League
of Nations passed through troubled
waters to-day. The first break since
the league was organized came when
the delegates from Argentina, head.
ed by Honorio Pueyrreaon, Foreign
Minister of Argentina, and through
out the Geneva sessions the out
standing leader Of the Spanish
speaking delegates, withdrew from
the Assembly. Dispatching a note
to the president of the organization.
the Argentinos said that the
leagues vote, unanimous save for
the Argentine delegation. to post
pone action of amendments t. tho
covenant had made purposeless any
further participation by Argentina.
The second rift came when
Charles j. Doherty, Of the Canadian
delegation, offered an amendment to
eliminate Article X from the cove
rant. This motion, taken despite
the leagues opposition to the con-
sideration Of amendments and re-
gardless Of the insistencc Of MANY
leaders that alterations in the cove
nant st this stage of the league
development may only obstruct it's
work, came as a surprise.
Senor Pueyrredon told the Tribune
correspondent tonight that the de-
cision -of his country to leave the As
sembly is final. He SAID that dele
gates from his country would not at
tend this or any other meeting Of the
league until all of Argentina's de-
mands- for amendments are acceded to.
To all intents and purposes. then,
Argentina is out of the League Of
Nations because her proposals, II. A.
l.. Fisher, Of TIE British Empire dele
COTTON, told the Tribune correspondent
Tonight are quite inadmissble.
Delegates from several countries
are agreed with the Argentinos that
amendments TO the covenant should bc
discussed at once, but the delegates
from Argentina were the only ones 10
vote Friday against postponement OF
their consideration until the next sea-
sion Of the league, which probably
VIII be held next September
Sweeping Proposals Made
The Argentine delegates had nut
forth proposals Of the most far
reaching and sweeping character. They
involve, among other things, the i'm
mediate admission Of Germany to the
League Of Nations. This proposition
in itself is enough 10 arouse VIolcns
opposition.
After his note to President Hymans
had been made public Sefor Pueyrre-
don assented that ms demands for con-
sideration of the Argentine amend
menus went much further tnan he had
indicated at the time Of their intro
ductlon. Originally he merely sought
to get the Assembly 90 discuss the
amendments winch he proposed. Then
he sent them TO Commlss. on No. 3, on
the admission OF enemy states, which.
although headed by fellow Sontn
American, Antonio Huneus Of Chic.
refused TO consider them and returned
them to the president. The commits
sion sent letter to the president. ac-
the document. which led
Hymans to think that the South Amer
leans would find other means cf bring
ing them before the Assembly. The
president was therefore surprised
somewhat by the su0denness Of Pueyr
redon's action and the extent OF his
demands.
Pueyrredon's amendments Rad not
come up At ali until to-day. When TIE
vote Friday went against hm hc and
his group stood dramatically against
the unanimous vote To-day ms att
tude had Icacned the point where hc
not only wanted the Assembly to dis
cuss his amendments. but to accept
them.
These amendments would DO moth
ing less than reVolutiOnize tne wnol~
covenant They declare that al. couu-
tries having recognized governments
are automatically members Of the
League of Nations unless treSe ra-
tions voluntarily decline that member
ship The amendments dociAle that
every unr-cognlzed state snail be en-
titled 10 send one delegate 10 meetings
Of the league Assembly. although this
delegate would not have a right To
vote They declare that the Council
~ TIC league SNo!l pt t4rt-SN by
democratic vote among all me mem
bers Of the league, and that the meme
beis shall st in the Council in rots-
tion, At least four members being
changed at every turn. And they
propose that all international courts
shall have compulsory jurisdiction.
Pueyrredon's Statement
Not only the British delegates bus
the representatives of other nations
assert that these amendments are en-.
tircly out C the question. Ncverthe-
less. Pucyrredon said to the Tribune
correspondent to-day
1--WE snail withdraw our de.
cision unless these amendments ara
accepted. We will take no furthev
part IN the leagues meetil. >. eitherin
Genev. or elsewhere. Presumably. IN
accoreance with the spirit Of Article
AANl' OF the covenant, we cease "a