The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1920-12-17
ALBANIA IS
ELECTED IN
VOTE TODAY
Britain Reverses Policy and
Casts Vote for Latest Mem
ber-Mandate Differences
Up For Discussion.
SESSION ALMOST over

GENEVA, Dec. 17-Albania was
elected a member OF the league OF
nations by the assembly of the league
here this morning.
Immediately after the opening Of
today's session of the assembly, Lord
Robert Cecil, although appointed to
make report on the admission of
Albania to the league, took the floor
and declared he disagreed with the re-
port of the committee, which was ad-
verse to according Albania member
ship. He asked the assembly to elect
Albania a member of the assembly.
N. w. Rowell of Canada also pleaded
Armenia's case, and he. with Lord
Robert Cecil, for the first time found
support from other delegations of the
British empire on a contested ques-
ton.
Reverse Decision
After Mr. Rowell had concluded, H.
A. l.. Fisher of Great Britain took the
floor and said that although the Brit
ish delegation had vote dagainst Al
bania in the committee it had since
carefully studied the question and had
decided to vote for her admission.
During yesterdays voting the Brit
ish empire was divided on nearly
every question, South Africa and Can
ada voting against Great Britain on
the admission of Georgia; Canada vot-
ing against South Africa and Great
Britain regarding Armenia and Aus
tralia abstaining from voting when the
application OF Bulgaria was before the
assembly.
American Influence
The action of the committee in rec
ommending the rejection of the appli-
cations of Baltic states and Georgia
was due largely to American influ-
ence. The committee had before it a
document containing the note sent
on August 10th to the Italian ambas-
sador by cambridge Colby, American
secretary of state, who stated the
United States policy was that decision
should be held in allegiance concern
ing territories carved out of the for
mer Russian empire.
Differences between the council of
the League of Nations and the Assem-
| bly, of the League regarding mandates
were before the assembly when II met
| here today. After a long debate dur
| ing yesterdays session regarding the
| report of the mandates commission
complaining of the councils refusal to
| Syria, Mesopotamia and Palestine. ex
! cept under certain conditions. the mat
| ter was left over for settlement today
| if possible.
Language Softened.
! The original report of the mandates
! commission was sharp arraignment
| of the council. but the language used
was considerably softened by the full
commission following the debate on
the floor of the assembly. The council
decline to submit drafts of the man.
dates except upon a promise by the
commission that no reference to the
! provisions of the mandates would be
made in the report to the assembly
Disposal of this question, action
upon three more applications for mem
bership and decision relative to the
league budget were ali that remained
today to be disposed of during this
session of the assembly. Hope was
expressed this morning that this work
might be finished today so that tomor-
rows final session might be devoted
| to the ceremonies of closing Ii SEEM
ed probable Rene Viviani, head of the
French delegation. would appear to-
morrow. he having been solicited by
many delegates to make the principal
closing speech.
Some Left Out.
The applications of Albania, Lich-
tenstein and Ukraine were before the
assembly today, Albania being the
only one having a chance for admis-
sion. The commission on admission of
new states was unanimously adverse
to granting memberhip to the other
two, but Albania had strong partisans
in Lord Robert Cecil. representative
for South Africa and n. W. RoweIl of
Canada, who. contrary to precedent,
found themselves agreed on this
question.