The Raymer enterprise., 1920-11-18
DELEGATES EXPRESS THE HOPE
THAT UNITED STATES WILL
ENTER LEAGUE.
BELGIAN IS PRESIDENT
PAUL HYMANs ELECTED PERMA.
NENT PRESIDENT OF LEAGUE
OF NATIONS.
Western Newspaper Union News service.

Geneva, Nov. 16.-Paul Hymans Of
Belgium was elected permanent presi-
dent of the League of Nations ut the
opening session of the assembly.
He received thlrty-flve votes to
four votes for President Aiotta
of Switzerland and one each for
ex-presldent Ador Of Switzerland and
Leon Bourgeois of France.
NJ. Hymans had called the delegates
to order and introduced President
Motta Of Switzerland, who In his nd.
dress welcoming the delegates, ex.
dressed the hope that the United
States would not delay much longer in
"taking Its legitimate place in the
league"
When NJ. Hymans, who heads the
Belgian delegation and is former
foreign minister Of Belgium, declared
the first session Of the assembly open,
the hall was crowded with men and
women and there were several women
among the delegates. Their tOilettes,
with the quaint red and yellow gowns
of the Swiss guards, gave touches Of
color to an otherwise sober scene.
NJ. Motta, In his greetings to the del
egates, thanked the pence conference
for having selected Geneva us the seat
of the League Of Nations and aso
thanked President Wilson for calling
the meeting Of the assembly In the
seat of the league.
The first session Of the league as-
sembly was greeted with the ringing
of all the bells In Geneva after several
minutes silence on the part OF nil the
people Of the canton. President MOtta
of Switzerland was followed by NJ.
Hymans.
The Socialist leader, Hjalmar Fran
ting, head Of the Swedish delegation.
provoked the first debate BY obje :tins
to the election Of Paul Hymans as
president Of the league by acclama-
tion. NJ. Hymans himself decided the
question, by holding that, since one
member requested secret vote, he
was entitled to 1t.
A more animated and more signifi-
cant discussion grew out Of the adop'
tion Of the agenda. Lord Robert Cecil,
who represents South Africa, held
that the applications for membership
of Albania, Bulgaria and Austria,
which were received since the agenda
was made up, should be added to 1t.
The assembly so decided after the
French delegates, Viviani and BOur-
ge0ise, had made 1t clear that the ap-
pIicatiOns would be referred to COM
mittee to be examined and a decision
taken as to whether they would be
received.
This reservation, 1t Is contended,
will establish precedent so that II
Germany's application Is received
later, the French delegates will be
able to raise the question of ellgibil-
ity at once.
Working organization of the Assem-.
bly, has been formed, and consists of
six committees each with forty-one
members representing all the states at.
tending. All questions on the agenda
will be divided among these commit
tees and will come up for debate on
the floor only when the reports are
submitted. The presidents of these
committees will be ex-officio vice pres
idents of the assembly.
The debates clearly indicated that
Lord Robert Cecil, Leon Bourgeois,
Rene Viviani and Sign0r Titoni are
the leading figures on the floor and
that the small states are showing a
spirit of independence and will not ac-
cept prearranged programs without
having their say.
President Hymans announced that
the demands OF Peru for a revision Of
the treaty Of 1883 between Chile and
Peru, and Of Bolivia for a revision of
the treaty Of 1904 between Bolivia and
Chile have been reserved because the
interested parties desire to negotiate
among themselves.