Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1920-01-22
LEAGUE OF NATIONS
COUNCIL N EE is
Leon Bourgeois Elected Chair.
man-Saare Basin Commits
sion Appointed

Paris. Jan. 6.-Representatives of
France. Great Britain. Italy. Greece,
Belgium. Spain, Japan and Brazil
members of the council of the League
of Nations, met in the O'clock Room
of the French Foreign office at 1000
o'clock this morning for the first
meeting in the history of the league.
The Council organized at 1890
o'clock by electing Leon Bourgeois
chairman, and confirming the choice of
Sir Eric Drummond of Great Britain
as general secretary.
The first official act of the League
Council was the appointment of n com
mission to trace upon the spot the
frontiers of the territory of the Saare
Basin.
Premier Venibelos without rising
opened the proceedings by nominating
M. Bourgeois who was unanimously
elected. NJ. Bourgeois in his speech OF
acceptance, predicted that January 16,
1920, would "go down in history as the
date of the birth of new world" The
chairmans address was brief one. He
said in part:
1.-THE task of presiding at this meeting
and inaugurating this great international
institution should have fallen to President
Wilson. We respect the reasons which
still delay final decision by our friends
in Washington, out express the hope that
their difficulties will soon be overcome
and that a representative of the great
American republic will occupy the place
awaiting him among us. The work of tho
council will then assume definite charac-
ter and will have that particular force
which should be associated with our
work.
January IL. 1920, will do down in his
tory as the date of the birth of a new
world. Decisions to be reached to-day
will he in the name of all nations adhering
to the covenant of the league. 1t will be
the first decree of all free nations leaguing
themselves together. for the grst time in
the world to substitute right for might.
But the organization of the League of
Nations will not be complete until the
assembly of all the states meets
Speaking for Great Britain Lord Curzon
followed NJ. Bourgeois said:
ION behalf of the British Empire,
desire to express the loyalty of my gov
eminent and the external dominons of
the British Crown to the spirit underlying
the covenant of the League of Nations.
| 1T is our intention by every means in
our power, to insure its practical eff
ficiency. 1t is our firm belief that through
its instrumentaity alone we can hope to
insure that such miseries that the world
has experienced during the past five years
shall not be repeated, and that new
era of International relationship shall
dawn
the League of Nations is an express
| sion of the universal desires for saner
methods of regulating affairs of man
kind. and provides machinery by which
practical effect may be given the prnci-
pies of international friendship and good
| understanding. The success of the la
| bors of the peace conference is good
augury for the future of the League of
| Nations For the time an attempt was
| made to bring together under the aus
| pieces of the league representatives of
| governments, employees and labor and an
/ advance exceeding the results of the en-.
/ tire work of the previous quarter of a
| century has been made in the field OF
! tons"
Signor Ferraris, on behalf of Italy
said his nation was glad to respond tc
/ the invitation ''of the president and the
4 great American people" He mentioned
+ the skepticism amidst which the league
was born, and said this was a fact to be
neither exaggerated nor ignored.
Signor Ferraris added that among the
duties of the league would be to give at
! tention TO the high cost of transportation
/ the high cost of living and the state OF
/ International finance.
Ambassador Cunaha for Brazil said
his country would devote herself with
fcrvor to the work of peace and
fraternity among the nations He re.
ferred to the fact that he was the
only representative from America
iprescnt and said he was proud to have
the honor of bringing assurance OF
/ the cooperation OF Pan America IN
! the operation of the League
After the delivery of the speeches
NJ. Bourgeois announced that the only
item on the order of the day was the
commission to fix the boundaries OF
the Saarc Valley, together with one
member appointed by the French gov.
lcrnmcut and one by Germany.
The council named as it's member.
Colonel WAGE, an English officer
Major Lambert, a Belgian. and Major
kobaish, Japanese.
NJ. Bourgeois proposed London az
the place for the next meeting of the
council, and this was approved Lore
Curzon suggested leaving the dat,
and the order of business open, to b,
decided by the chairman and the sec,
rotary, since, he said. cit will bs
necessary to consult the United state,
in great many questions likely tt
arise"