The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1920-11-24
GERMANY DECLARES VERSAILLES
TREATY NO LONGER BINDS THE HUN
Question Raised in Reference to Disposition of
German Colonies in Note of Protest
ALLIES CHARGED WITH NOT
FULFILLING THEIR UNDERTAKINGS
Assembly of the League of Nations Has Many
KnOtty Problems to Solve


open diplomacy and the admis-
sion OF former enemy states to the
league of nations furnished to-
days material for discussion in
the assembly of the league of ma
tionS. For the first time the word
revision" was pronounced in
connection with Article IS of the
covenant Of the league, which
provides for the registration of
treaties or international engage
ments. For the first time also the
viewpoint of labor as regards the
league was presented.
The views Of labor were pre-
sented by George Nicoll Barnes
OF the British delegation, who
gained applause when he declar-
ed that "a general peace Is i'm
possible until labor gets its full
share of the product Of it's own
effort"
Twice again the admission of
FORMER enemy states into the
league was advocated. Labor was
quoted by Mr.. Barnes as in a large
majority demanding it. There
now have been represented in the
demands for the admission Of the
former enemy states South Afri-
ca, Great Britain, Switzerland,
Argentina and Scandinavia. it still
appears, however. that no one of
the delegations is ready to take
the initiative in proposing the
election of Germany to member
ship.
Lord Robert Cecil Of the British
delegation has said that he will
rot do SO, and Honorio Purreydon,
head of the Argentine delegation,
"ho has spoken strongly in IA
vor OF Germany coming in, de-
ciares that he will not nominate
her. Neither will the Dutch and
Swedish delegations, which are
supposed to be Germany's strong
est supporters, propose her adj
mission TO the. league. notwith-
standing the fact that sentiment
favorable to her membership
crops out in every debate.
IL is now generally considered
that the question lies entirely
with committee. as delegates
who hesitate to propose Ger
many's admission from the floor
OF the assembly are quite free i'm
bringing up the discussion in
committee.
Opinion is about equally divid-
cd between the probability of
postpOning admission of all form
er enemy states until the next
meeting of the assembly and the
admission of all of them with the
exception Of Turkey during the
present session.
a protest by Germany against
the manner of the distribution of
mandates for her colonies today
created marked impression in
the assembly, particularly on ac-
count OF the fact that it was ad-
dressed TO the assembly instead Of
the council of the league OF ma
tons. Germany consistently has
maintained the attitude that the
council of the league does not
possess sufficient authority to deal
with such questions since ma
Jority of it's representatives form
IL group Of former belligerentS,
and that the assembly alone is
representative of the entire league
and therefore competent to deal
with the question.
Giuseppe Motta, president Of
Switzerland and head of the Swiss
delegation, in speech today held
that the council and the assem-
bly, were two separate and inde-
pendent organisms, and il is prob
able that the committee on gencr-
al organization will be called upon
TO solve the problem.
NJ. Motta's appeal for the most
open diplomacy through the pub
lication of treaties made a great
impression on the assembly. He
made an error in detail, however,
when he said that only nine
treaties had been registered, five
OF which were Swiss. Fifty-6ye
treaties have been registered. but
nine OF them only thus far have
been published. Of the SIS nine
are German, including the treaty
OF Brest-LitOvsk and the treaty
with Letvia.
IT is not expected i'm league
circles that treaties such rs the
Franco-Belgian military under
standing will be integrally regis
tered, since their defensive value
largely depends on secrecy.
Geneva, Nov. 10 (By the AS