New-York tribune., 1920-11-20
Communication to League
Criticizes the Manner i'm
Which Powers Distri-
buted Spoils to Victors
Virtual Annexation
OF Territory, Claim
Germany Insists Assign.
ment of Colonies Was
in Violation of Treaty,
She Not Being Consulted
By Ralph Courtney
spee.aI Cable TO The Tribune


GENEVA, Nov. 19.--The German gov
errment has handed to the officials of
the League of Nations long communi-
cation protesting against the manner
in which the question of mandates has
been handled by the Allied powers
The note asserts that the nations hold
ing mandates over the formey German
colonies and other territory formerly
belonging to the Contra. Powers have
acted without full authorization and
outside Of the letter of the Treaty of
Versailles.
The Germans complain that the
league has SO far failed in its duty in
tonferring mandatory powers. The
ote points out that the mandate ter
rtores have been allowed to become
nothing less than the colonies Of the
;tates holding the mandates over them
This amounts in most cases, the note
says, TO the virtual annexation of the
territories. while according to the
spirit of the treaty the mandatory
powers should be responsible for the
administration of the former German
territories for the benefit of the popu-
lstion.
The Germans contend that the re-
sronsblhty of the league with respect
to mandates implies sponsibility to
a League of Nations in which Germany
herself is included. The note objects
10 the way in which the great powers
among the Allied countries came to-
gether and distributed the mandates
among themselves to their mutual sat
isfaction without consulting Germany
or the other nations OF the league.
Germans l'fepare Lengthy Briefs
The German document, which covers
some seven and half typewritten
foolscap pages, points out in detail
every respect in which the mandatory
arrangements do not, according to the
Germans, conform t. he letter of the
peace treaty. The army of German
lurists IN Geneva. it is sid, has COM
pieted the compilation Of five great
Volumes OF oJ0 p2ges, each containing
comm ntarics on the Versailles treaty
ana It's application. The Germans are
fully aware of all the flaws in the
treaty and know the points on which
the Allies admittedly have not been
able to carry out its provisions.
Although the subject of mandates
Was discussed BY the League of Ma
t;ons council, both at its San Sebns-
sian meeting and ut Bruises, Leon
bourgeois, who was in charge, was
compelled to confess at the last meet
ing IN brussels that the mandatory
question was then not in fit state for
presentation even to a committee of
we league assem- bly,.
Question Still Hangs Fife
Inc mandatory question is, there
tore, cont nulng 20 be an acute bother
20 the league. At San Sebastian, in
Despair OF knowing what to do, the
league council decided to address notes
70 the mandatory states asking them to
sss'e thelr views as to boundaries and
.he administration of mandate terri
tol'es' This act of asking the owner to
s %shhe MS pos ton, although it be-
,sfSyeo the extreme weakness of the
league itself, was held by the council
members to be the only course of &C.
t'on they could take.
nevertheless, despite the added
!Ws'gns OF Americas protest against
.hs Franco-8ritish seizure of the Turk
,sn OIL fields for themselves. it was
impossible for the league to get any
satisfaction from the mandatory
powers. All except one Of them arc
reported to have scorned the leagues
communication altogether, and this
was france, which sent q partial re-
ply, p' ''e
AT Brussels the league council again
appealed to the mandatories with mega
i've results. At Geneva when the
league council met, the solution was
st'll out of reach.
Protest May Affect Commission
:, Germany's latest protest may help
.n .ne secretariEt Of the league so to dis
s,oute the membership OF the league
sommission on mandates as to put a
majority Of the votes in the hands of
"'n'inandatory powers. Great Britain
CONTINUED paso four)