Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-12-18
Lord Robert Cecil Attacks
Council for Maintaining
Secrecy on Mandates.
REPORT CRITlClSING ACT
ADOPTED BY ASSEMBLY
British Member Declares He "Will
Not Feel Bound by Anything
Lower Body May Do"

GENEVA, December 1S.-Charges
by A. ]. Balfour. British member of
the council of the league of nations,
that attempts were being made in as
sembly circles to coerce the council
on the question of mandates featured
a spirited debate in the assembly of
the league here this forenoon.
The assembly eventually adopted
the report of its mandate committee,
which declared the council had adopt
ed such a policy regarding mandates
that there was no opportunity to dis
cuss them publicly before they went
into force. The report also declared
against the recruiting of soldiers by
mandatory nations in territories they
were administering and against the
exploitation of the natural resources
of such territories for the benefit OF
the mandatory powers.
Led by Lord Robert Cecil.
The attack upon the council was
led by Lord Robert Cecil who criti
,cised the councils refusal to COM
municate to the assembly the text of
the various mandates for the adminis-
tration of former German colonies.
Lord Robert was followed by c. j.
Doherty of Canada, who expressed the
disappointment felt by the Canadian
delegates that no opportunity had
been given the assembly to examine
the mandates.
There will be no better test Of
the sincerity of the league than the
terms of the mandates and the man.
ner in which they are executed" he
said.
Mr.. Doherty warned the council of
the gravity of the responsibility it
had assumed in withholding the man.
dates from publicity.
Mr.. Balfour came to the defense of
the council The danger, as he saw
il. was not in the terms or the man
ner of execution of the mandates, but
in the liability of the assembly to
come into conflict with the council.
which Sione he held was intended by
the trainers Of the covenant to have
Jurisdiction over mandates.
Not CsnAdent Of Assenbly.
Il shall not feel bound, nor will my
this assembly or any other
assembly shall do.~ ne cried. -.
pIusssd By llE nsifodfss dShzh5 stti-
tude toward the assembly. particularly
when he referred to the Jealous spirit
when he declared that the recon-.
Inenddation of the mandates commit
tee amounted to coercive measures as
regarded the council. f
fkUOSIt SSCli TGI0TlSQ IuaJ lne
assembly had adopted the report on
the relations of the council and the
assembly. in which it was declared
the assembly could examine any ques-
tton that came within the competence
Of the league.
Leon Bourgeois, French member Of
xhe council, supported the viewpoint
Of Mr.. Balfour, his British colleague
on that body.
AAnNfgow ETnTlo-~ n~Inf~
Adoption by the assembly Of the
recommendations Of the committee
followed the debate.
The Armenian committee reported
that it had not Sufficient time to
finish its task before the close Of the
assembly. 1t pointed 0ut that the
measure which seemed to the commit
tee most likely to succeed was that
the Afmenians be organized and
equipped for their own defense. The
committee proposed that the council
appoint another committee to con-
tinue examination of the question.
The general conclusions Of the man.
date committees report were that the
council of the league had adopted
such policy regarding mandates that
them publicly before they went into
force: that the mandatory nations
should not recruit soldiers in terri
tories confided to them. nor profit
from their trust in exploiting for their
benefit the natural resources Of those
terHtoriea
Lord Robert Cecil. in presenting the
report, suggested that at least one
woman should be appointed a MEM
Der OF the mandate commission, since
that body will have much to do re-
garding women and children in man
dated territories.
Lord Robert took the council sharp
~ to task. first. for it's lack Of energy
and clear-S ghtedness in dealing with
nations that had been given mandates,
and, second, for the secrecy practiced
by the council regarding the terms of
the mandates they had received.
China Reserves Questions.
Certain questions affecting interna-
tional relations coming within the
jurisdiction of the league of nations
have been reserved by China for a
more opportune occasion for bringing
them to the attention of the council
or assembly Of the league, DIR. We'll
Hngton Koo. Chinese delegate to- the
assembly. declared at this mornings
session of the assembly
Representatives of Austria Rul.
garia. Luxembourg. Albania, Costa
Rica and Finland. which have heen
made members of the league. had
seats in today's meeting, but did not
participate in the proceedings 1t was
impossible to secure the proper ere
dentials in the short space OF time
which has intervehed since these na
tions were accorded membership. The
formal signing of the protocol by the
representatives of a number of ma
tions accepting Jurisdiction of the in
ternational court was planned to he
held at headquarters of the leaxue
secretariat this afternoon