The Washington times., 1920-01-16
LEAGUE OF NATIONS
BORN WITHOUT u. S.
Nine Nations Represented at
First Session-Frenchman
Chosen President.
Continued from First Page.)

Continued from First Page)
representative OF the United States
viii occupy a place among us.
"The councils work then will as
sumo that defnite character and that
particular force which should be
associated with our work"
Curzon denied the league implies
creation OF a superstate."
"The mere title league should be
sufficient TO dispel this misconcep-
ton" he added.
THE league will not interfere with
nationalities." he said. because II is
upon nationhood that II rests"
Laud United states.
| Curzon said he wished to express
| my full concurrence with President
Bourgeois remarks relative to the
| United States"
This decision must be her own"
Curzon said. but II the United States
does not elect TO take her place In
the new council OF nations that place
! will be vacant for her. and I am sure
warm welcome will await her"
Terming the United States the
| great friend OF mankind" Vittorio
| Scialoia, the Italian foreign minister,
expressed hope for early adhesion TO
the league OF this absent nation"
Italy did not hesitate to take her
place among the allies at the most
serious moment OF the war" Scialoia
declared. "The present" he said sis
time for the world to turn to mag
| nanimity."
| Many problems. such as Russia. are
\ facing the league, he said.
Organization Not Complete.
| Bourgeois took up the questions
which the council must settle i'm
mediately under terms OF the peace
| treaty and the league covenant
Organization of the League will
not be complete until ap assembly OF
all states comes together Bourgeois
continued. Among the states invited
to Join within twdDmonths after the
treaty OF peace became effective.
| Spain, Argentina, Paraguay. Chile,
and Persia have already accepted.
| Birth Of New World.
Even II the league thus remains
| incomplete until a later date, today's
meeting nevertheless bears the char
| acter OF a first solemn act. Today
| will go down in history as the date of
| birth of the new world. This de-
| cision is to be taken today in the
name of the States adhering to the
| covenant of the league. 1t will be
| the irst decree of all free nations
| leaguing themselves together for tho
| first time in the history OF the world
| to substitute right for might"
Closing his address the French
| leader said:
with eyes nxed on the distant
future, but with our feet on the solid
ground OF political and social rela-
tions, we will create a world in which
, this league can develop a spirit of
justice and . desire for peace"
Nations Represented.
In addition to NJ. Bourgeois and
Earl Curzon. the following delegates
were named by the various powers as
their representatives to the meeting:
| Italy. Signor Scialoia, foreign minis
ter; Belgium, Paul Hymons, foreign
| minister; Japan. Viscount Chinda. am
| bassador to Great Britain: Spain,
Count Ouinons de Leon, ambassador
to France; Greece, Premier Eleu-
| therios Venizelos: Portugal. DR.. AL
| fonso Costa: Brazil, DR.. De Cunha,
| ambassador to France.
Premier Lloyd George and Viscount
Grey arrived late, entering the
had started. Premier Clemenceau did
not attend.
President Bourgeois Immediately
| recognized them, greeting Grey as
! one OF the fathers OF the league.
I Grey replied he considered the great
est honor to be present on the occa.
sion Of the leagues organization.
CurIon Urges Open Methods.
Earl Curzon, who spoke following
President Bourgeois, emphasized the
necessity OF doing away with the old
secret diplomacy.
"The success of the International
Labor Conference Is a. good augury
for the future Of the league" Curzon
said. "Is especially demonstrated the
power of debate in one field OF in.
| ternational action.
| The peoples OF all countries now
have learned foreign affairs are their
vital concern and are demanding with
ever increasing insistence that In
| ternational obligations be not con-
| tracted behind their backs
! Their eyes have been opened to
| the necessity of cooperation between
| all nations, but they insist this o.
operation be in the open.
| Another and more important re-
suit we may hope for is that the
! habit of mutual confidence will au.o-
matically cause armaments to dis.
appear"
Instrument OF Public Opinion.
Opening his address Curzon praised
the league as an ipstrument supported
pE puDl'' pplhlOll VI INC tHllTc CIVIL
| lied world.
The League OF Nations is an ex-
! preston OF the universal desire for a
! sancr method for regulating the ar.
| fairs OF mankind.
TT Is not mere expression in pla-
tonic language for the necessity for
| international friendship and good un-
| derstandtng. 1t prov idcs machinery
/ whereby these principles may be
! given practical effect.
THE doctrine OF community OF in
| ternational interests now is provided
| for the first time with an instrument
endowed with formidable powers.
/ fortified by the allegiance of gov.
ernments and supported by public
opinion OF the entire civilized world"
President Bourgeois introduced the
/ first resolution before the leagues
council. 1t was to appoint the Saar