Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1920-10-29
LEAGUE is NOW
GOING CONCERN
Much Has Been Accomplished
in Europe in Preventing War
and Serving Stricken and
DowntrOdden People.
(By Raymond B. Fosdick, Formerly
Under-Secretary General of the
League of Nations

Wy Ahoyinpiu ID. IOSulCht
Under-Secretary General of the
League of Nations.
The League of Nations is no long.
er an academic question. 1t is an es-
tablished fact; is is a going concern;
its launching has been effected, and
it is now on its way.
What are the facts about this
League?
l. Tile League is now composed of
az members. These members are as
followss:
Argentine Republic, Australia, Bel
gium, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile,
China, Colombia, Cuba, Czecho-slo-
vakia, Denmark, France, Great Brit
ain, Greece, Guatemala, Haiti, India,
Hedjaz, Italy, Japan, Liberia, Neither
lands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Nor
way, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Po-
land, Persia, Portugal, Rumania, Sal
vador, Serbia, Siam, South Africa,
Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Vene-
zuela, Uruguay.
are not members of the league as as
United States, Russia, Mexico,
Hungary, Abyssinia. Afghanistan,
Ecuador, Honduras, Costa Rico.
Ecuador is now considering the
Treaty of Peace in it's current Con-
gress Honduras has completed the
Congressional stage of ratification.
The admission of Germany, Austria,
Bulgaria and Hupngary will be pass
ed upon by the Assembly of the
League of Nations at its meeting in
November, 1920. Mexico and Costa
Rico were not invited to join. Fin
land, Esthonia, Georgia, Luxembourg,
San Marino, Iceland and the Ukraine
have made application for admission.
Doubt still exists as to the attitude
or status of the United States, Rus
sia, Turkey, Mexico, Abyssinia and
Arghanistan.
8. The range of the Leagues work
may be indicated by the following
schedule of its meetings. Parenthe-
tically, it should be noted that the
Leagues policy is to hold its meet
sible. The Council of the League has
held sessions in London, Paris, Rome
and San Sebastian; the international
Labor Conference of the League met
at Washington; the international
Seamen's Conference of the League
at Genoa; the Jurists Advisory Com
mittee at the Hague; the Interna-
tional Health Conference at London;
the international Ports and Water
ways Conference at Paris; the Arm
aments Commission at San Sebas-
tian; the Financial Conference at
Brussels; and the Transit Confer
ence at Barcelona.
a. The League of Nations has begun
the publication of treaties under Ar
ticle XVIII. Many treaties which pri-
or to this time would have been re-
garded as secret and confidential,
have been forwarded rog registration
and publication. These include Greek
Bulgarian inter-migration treaty, and
the Czecho-Sloyaki and Jugo-Slavia
: undertakings Only the other day the
British Foreign Office sent batch
of sixteen treaties to the Secretariat
. for publication. Even Germany has
not hesitated to recognize the sound
ness of this provision, and voluntari-
ly has sent her treaties to the Secre-
tariat of the League for this pur-
pose, although she is not yeta men,
ber of the League.
s. The Leagues machinery has al
ready been used to avert war. In
July, 1920, the dispute between Swe-
den and Finland concerning the
Aaland Islands became so acute that
the newspapers of both countries
talked of war, and war-like prepara-
tions were undertaken. A special ses-
sion of the Council of the League
was called to consider the matter.
Sweden was represented on the Coun-
Gil for the purpose of this dispute,
and Finland accepted the obligations
of membership ad hoe. Both sides
were heard and q commission of ex-
pert jurists considered the questions
of law involved. While the matter IS
not yet settled, the important fact
is that to the satisfaction of both
parties an acute dispute involving
the matter of "vital interest" is in
process of adjustment, and that the
League machinery was used for the
purpose.
6. The armaments Commission of
the League (provided for by Article
TX of the Covenant) has been Or
ganized and is now at work on the
beginnings of a plan of universal
nations of the world. Obviously, the
United States is not represented on
this commission.
2. A permanent mandates commits
sion has been appointed, as provided
for in Article XXI Of the Covenant
to supervise the administration of
the territories and peoples freed from
German and Turkish rule. The ap-
plication of this new principle is Wit
ally important to US, not only from
the standpoint of freedom of trade
for American commerce, but still
more from the standpoint of estab-
fishing a system of justice which
will prevent backward countries from
becoming the tinderbox of future
wars.
8. The plans for permanent court
of international justice have been
completed and are already for sub.
mission to the Assembly of the
League at its meeting in November
Mr.. Root served as member of thi:
particular subdivision of the League:
activity.
8. The Council will place befor,
the Assembly in November the pro
posal for joint committee to worl
out the plans and principles of econ
omic blockade as the strongest quar-