Evening star., 1920-12-02
LEAGUE ASSEMBLY
VOTES To REJECT
COVENANT CHANGES
Argentine Delegate Casts
Only Adverse Ballot on
BaIfour Report.
COMMITTEE TO REPORT
IN THE FUTURE PROVIDED
Council Sends Message of Thanks
to President Wilson for Offer
to Aid Armenia.
By the Associated Press.

to Aid Armenia.
BY the Associated Press.
GENEVA, December 9. A resolu
ton rejecting the consideration of
amendments to the league covenant at
this session and providing for a com
mittee to study changes before the
meeting of the next assembly was
passed by the assembly of the league
at today's session with but one dis
senting vote.
This was cast by Delegate Pueyrre
don of Argentina. He had not taken
the floor during the debate on the res
olution, which was an animated one,
and his negative vote, which was en-
tirely unexpected, caused consterna-
tion in the assembly, as it was con-
sidered it would prevent the passage
of the resolution under the provision
that virtually all acts of the assembly
must be by unanimous vote of the
member nations relresented
President Hymans, however. ruled
that the question was one of proce-
dure. not requiring unanimlty, ana
notwithstanding the Argentinian's
negative vote. declared the resolution
adopted.
In reporting today the decision OF
the assembly committee on amend
ments to the league covenant not TO
recommend changer at this session, A
J. Balfour of Great Britain forecast
es in the future. The covenant was
not regarded as perfect or immutable,
he said. for the eventuailty must De
considered of the next assembly being
called upon to consider amendments
of far greater Importance than those
now proposed,
Framed With Rapidity.
The covenant, Mr.. Balfour pointed
out. was framed with remarkable ra-
would be necessary, but the commit
tee found the moment inopportune.
Because the comrhittee rejected the
amendments proposed by the Scandi-
-navian countries 1t was not TO De
considered that it disagreed with them.
.If you amend the covenant you
amend the treaty of Versailles, which
gave seal to the peace of the world"
he said.
Another motive of the committse,
yiction that one years experience in
the working of a covenant was In
sufficient to show just what amend
ments should be made, and the COM
mittee deemed it advisable to wait.
He said a commission which the COM
mittee recommended to study pro-
posed amendments could report to
the council Of the league, which, in
turn, would report to the next meet
ing of the assembly at Geneva. The
date of this he mentioned as Septem-
ber l next.
Precedent Of Value.
BY referring the changes proposed
now to coRmi ssion for study, Mr..
Balfour thought the assembly could
establish a precedent of great value
to the next assembly, which might be
asked to make more important
changes.
Delegates Hagerup of Norway and
DR.. Wurtemburg Of Sweden signified
acceptance of the decisions of the
committee regarding their propositions
DIR. Alfonso Costa of Portugal pro-
posed that the committee to study
amendments take into consideration
not only those proposed by the Scan
dinavian nations, but any others that
might be suggested within time the.
assembly might fix. He remarked
that other changes would eventually
be necessary in order to facilitate the
entry into the league of some of the
great countries still outside of it.
Delegate 1nman of India remarked
that the covenant was not sacred and
that it could and, must be revised but
that it should be done with sufficient
deliberation.
that Switzerland attached great i'm
portance to the necessity of giving
the international court obligatory
jurisdiction.
"Bond Exterior Union,
Regarding the objection that to
amend the covenant would be to re-
wise. the treaty of Versatile DR..
Motta held that the bond between the
covenant and the treaty was what
HI 1Nxa p0i Iad to-
Delegate Urrutia of Colombia advo-
Gated an amendment providing the
assembly might decide by majority
vote questions having reference to the
execution of the terms of the covenant.
Leon Bourgeois. in reply to NJ
Motta's suggestions. pointed out that
as regards the question of mandates
and the admission of new members
the covenant was so closely allied 10
the treaty proper that to amend the
one was to revise the other
The text of the reply made by the
council to President Wilson's accept
ance of the role of mediator in the
Armenian question, which was dis
patched to Washington this morning,
signed by President Hymans of the
assembly. is as follows:
'In the name of the council of the
league of nations, ! thank you for
your telegram of December /. in which
you agree to act as mediator between
the Armenans and the Turkish ma
tionalists. and add that you will nomi-
nate representative for this purpose.
Grateful for Decision.
''The council is deeply rejoiced at
and grateful for your decision. The
council asked me to inform you that
the Spanish government declares IL
self ready to participate in any action
of a moral and diplomatic character
in support of Armenia. and that the
Brazilian government announces that
, il is ready to take part alone or with
other powers in putting an end to the
present situation in Armenia. The
council is. therefore, requesting these
two governments to communicate di-
rectly with you as to how co-opera-
ton in this work can best be ar
ranged. Negotiations can be opened
Immediately with the Armenian gov
ernment at Erivan.
"As regards the Kemalists (Turkish
/ nationaIists). the council is taking
steps to find out the most effective
! method o. getting into touch with
them and will inform you further on
| this point as soon as possible"