The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-10-24

These hopes were. however. shattered in the course of events. but the vail. ant defenders and standard bearers for the worlds most noble institution did rot know disappointment or defeat, While they deplored the keep your hands off attitude of the great repub- lie across the Atlantic, they felt thai the League of Nations represented the most precious gift to humanity and as such they worked indefatigably for its fullest realizatio
 For the sum of s1.100.0o0 a league committee has now acquired, what is termed semi permanent quarters for tkis institution, a stately edifice which is well known to many Americans un- der the name of Hotel National. A party of fourteen American. journalists who made a tour of Switzerland dur ing the summer of 1919 as guests of the Swiss government happened to be honored with a brilliant banquet in this very building, without having the slightest inkling that they were djn- ing in the future peace palace; on the contrary, in the forenoon of that very day they were actually. conducted to the great estates Bartholini, Pourtales and De Saussure, which had been pro- posed as suitable abodes for the league by the city of Geneva.
 The new Palace of Nations, le Palais des Nations, as it is termed, stands on the right shore of the lake at the eastern end of Genevas most beautiful promenade, and Is surrounded by ex- tensive, artistical1y laid out gardens. It overlooks the lake-which has for many centuries proved an inspiration to poets and artists, and stands face to face with the Savoy Alps and their crowning glory--the Mont Blanc.
 The building, which has an area of hr,, foaf nd xuh a q the Hotel National contained 220 rooms. had five stories above the ground floor. At present it is the busy scene of ren ovation and remodeling. A renovating process was already started in the build- ing when it was still the Hotel National, ene of the most up-to-date Swiss hos telries-long before the League of Na- tons decided upon the purchase of the same.
 The Hotel NationaI-to afford glimpse of it's history--was opened on Indepen dence Day, July 4, 1S70 and one of the many prominent American and English visitors who were present at the inaugu- ration was Mir Henry Whitehouse of New York. The founders of the estab- lshment were three well-known Swiss hotelkeepers, Monsieur Aldinger of the Hotel Metropole, Geneva; Monsieur Rue fenacht of the Hotel Beau Rivage, Ouchy- Lausanne, and Monsieur Schott of the
 Hotel Trois Couronnes in Vevey, who in 1872 had formed company for the erec- ton of thoroughly first-class hotel at Geneva. Financial and other difficulties confronted the enterprising men until their plans materialized, but from the opening day on up to the present the hotel enjoyed an altogether enviable rep utation.
 Among the numerous ilIustrious names of guests who resided within its walls are for instance the following names Carmen Sylva, the late poetess-Queen of Roumania; the late Empress Elizabeth of Austria; King Emanuel of Italy; Ed ward VII. then Prince of Wales; Glad stone. Rockefeller, Vanderbilt Gordon Bennett, Chas. M Echwab.
 The Hotel National was also the scene of several conferences and banduets of international importance. It was in one of it's rooms where members of the Czecho-Slovak National council decided formally In the fest days of November. 1s18, upon the dethronement of Emperor Charles of Austria. At the same time. in another room, was meeting of Serbian statesmen who debated upon the establishment of the Jugo-Slovak king dom.
 Destinies of nations have thus been shaped in the future peace palace before the same has been elevated to the exalted rank of an international temple for peace and justice among the peoples of the glory and fame will increase as the years pass by and that the day is not far dis. tant when all nations realize that tho league, founded and fostered by mere is in reality an institution in spred by heaven.