New-York tribune., 1920-01-17
Adjournment TO Meet in
London Said to Indi-
cate Intention to Wait
Upon Action of u. S.
Fiery Protest Is
Filed by Ireland
First Official Act Is to
Name Commission to-
Settle Saare Frontier
New Y0tL Tribune

'oOPo
PARIS, Jan l6.-The league of ma
tions, heralded in the midst Of war by
president Wilson as the object to be
sought when peace was attained. was
formally launched to-day by the execu.
tive council of the league in the his(
toric Clock Room of the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs. Representatives of
france, Great Britain, Italy, Japan.
Belgium, Spain, Greece, Portugal and
Brazil, members of the council of
the league. were present. Precisely at
1O:30 Leon Bourgeois declared the
meeting formally opened.
The most striking feature of the mi
tial session occurred virtually at the
end of the meeting, few minutes be-
fore noon. Chairman Bourgeois proposed
that the council adjourn and hold it's
second sitting in London without men,
tioning a date. Lord Curzon, Great
Britain's representative, seated at the
right of NJ. Bourgeois at the counci!
table, seconded the resolution, suggest
ing that the date be left to the chair
mans discretion in view of possible
participation by the United States The
resolution was adopted without oppo-
sition, conveying the impression that
after a perfunctory gathering the
league council had suspended activ.
ity pending action by the United States.
Absence of u. s. Causes Comment
There had been much comment
earlier among the representatives re-
garding the absence Of an American
diplomat from the meeting convened
by President Wilson. For although it
was known that the United States
would not be represented officially an
idea prevailed that ambassador Wal
lace would attend unofficially.
Paris showed no great concern over
the fact that an event of international
Importance was taking place at the
Quai D'Orsay Beyond the presence
OF numerous ph photographers, many pow
erful motor cars and a score Of po-
licemen, nothing indicated that the
"birthday OF new world" was being
celebrated Few persons gathered at
the Foreign Office to watch the ar
rival of the delegates.
The hall was filled early, and after.
greetings were exchanged among the
representatives NJ. Bourgeois called
the meeting to order. Lord Curzon
and Premier Venizelos made a few re-
marks before M. Bourgeois delivered
his address, in which he said the task
OF presiding over the meeting inau-
gurating the great international in
sttution should have fallen to Pres
ident Wilson.
eve respect" he continued, "the rea-
sons delaying final decision by our
friends in Washington, but we may all
express the hope that the difficulties
soon will be overcome and that the
representative of the great American
Republic will occupy the place await
ing him among us.
Birthday of New World"
"This January Is, 1920. will go down
in history as the birthday of new
world. The decision taken to-day will
be the first decree Of free nations,
leaguing themselves together for the
first time. to substitute right for might
The constitution of international or
CARNATIONS for economic and social life
forms the foundation of new era"
Lord Curzon read a carefully pre-
pared speech expressing full concur
renee with NJ. Bourgeois in his obser-
vations regarding the United States.
saying that Americas decision must be
her own, but if and when the United
States elects to take her place in the
new council chamber of nations she
will find place vacant for her and
the warmcst kind of welcome.
PARIS. Jan. 16 BY The Associated
Press The first oihclai act OF the
executive council of the League of Ma
tions after it convened to-day was the
pontment Of commission to trace
upon the spot the frontiers of the ter
ritory OF the Saar Basin.
Irish File First Protest
The council of the league received
the first formal protest to be present.
ed to it almost before it came into
being. The protest was from "the en-
voys Of the elected government of the
Irish Republic" against the unreal
English simulacrum of an internaton-
al league of peace"
No mention of the protest was made
during the meeting of the council, but
copies were handed to the newspaper
correspondents after they left the For
cign Office. The document was signed
"Ouakleigh Duffy" 1t registered objec-
tion to the "pretended league of
nations" and declared the league to
be an "engine of empire, designed to
secure and perpetuate English he
gemony throughout both hemispheres."
The protest insisted that the league
was iliusory and incomplete, lacking
authority and sanction, and declared
the United States stands out "in indig-
nation and reputation" of it.
Participants in Council
All the members of the council
called for by the covenant of the
league, with the exception of the
representative of the United States,
were present when M. Bourgeois called
the meeting to order. Besides NJ.
Bourgeois the members were Earl
Curxon. the British Foreign Secretary,
for Great Britain; Premier Venizelos,
for Greece; Carlo Farraris, Italian
| Minister of Industry. Commerce, Labor
and Food, for Italy; Paul Hymans,
Belgian Foreign Minister, for Belgium;
Baron Matsui. Ambassador to France,
for Japan; DR.. Castoa da Cunha, Am
bassador to France. for Brazil, and
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