The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1920-01-16
LEON BOURGEOIS
CHOSEN CHAIRMAN
Sir Eric Drummond of
Great Britain Confirmed
as General Secretary -
Eight Nations Were Rep
resented at the Initial
Meeting of the Council.

France, Great Britain, Italy, Greece
Belgium, Spain, Japan and Bra.
I'll, members of the council Of the
league Of nations, met in the clock
room Of the French foreign Office al u
o'clock this morning for the first meet
ing in the history Of the league.
The council organized at 1880 o'clock
by electing Leon Bourgeois chairman,
and confirming the choice Of Sir Eric
Drummond of Great Britain's general
secretary.
The first official act Of the league
council was the appointment of conn
mission TO trace upon the spot the
frontiers Of the territory Of the Sarre
basin.
All the members of the council called
for by the covenant of the league with
the exception of the representative of
the United States, were present when
M. Bourgeois called the meeting to or
der. Besides NJ. Bourgeois the members
were Earl Cruzon, the British foreign
secretary, for Great Britain; Premier
Nenizelos for Greece, Carlo Ferraris,
Italian minister of industry, commerce,
labor and food, for Italy; Paul Hy.
mans, the Belgian foreign minister, for
Belgium; Baron Matsui, ambassador to
France, for Japan; DIR. Gastoa Da Cub.
ma, ambassador to France, for Brazil;
Count Qunones de Leon, ambassador
TO France, for Spain.
Premier Lloyd George of Great Brit.
ain and Viseount Grey of Falloden,
British ambassador TO the United
States, dropped into the meeting at an
carly stage. Mr.. Lloyd George soon
retired, however, Viscount Grey re-
mained and was invited to front seat.
These were the only visitors of note.
Premier Nenizelos, without rising,
opened the proceedings by nominating
NJ Bourgeois for chairman. Lord Cur
zon seconded the nomination, and NJ
Bourgeois was unanimously elected NJ.
Bourgeois, in his speech of acceptance,
predicted that Jan. i6, 1920, would ego
down in history as the date Of the birth
nf new world The chairman's ad.
dress was a brief one. He said in part:
''The task of presiding at this meet
ing and inaug,irating this great inter
national institution should have fallen
TO President Wilson. We respect the
reasons which still delay final decision
by our friends in Washington. but ex-
press the hope that their difficulties
will soon be overcome and that rep
resentative of the great American re-
public viii occupy the place awaiting
him among us. The work of the coun-
ell will then assume definite character
and will have that particular force
which should be associated with our
work.
January l, 1920, will go down in
history as the date of the birth of
new world. Decisions to be reached to-
day will be in the name of all nations
adhering TO the covenant of the league.
II will be the first degree of all free ma
tions leaguing themselves together. for
the first time in the world, to substi-
tus> for might. But the organization
Of the league of nations will not be
complete until the assembly of all the
states meets"
Speaking for Great Britain, Lord
Curzon followed NJ. Bourgeois. He
said:
"On behalf of the British empire.
desire to express the loyalty of my
government and the external dominions
of the British crown to the spirit uu-
DERIVING the covenant Of the league Of |
nations. IL . our intention. by every |
means in our power, 10 insure its prac- !
teal efficiency. 1t is our firm belief |
that through it's instrumentality alone |
we can hope TO insure that such miser- |
les that the world has experienced dur
ing the past FIVE years shall not be re-
peated and that a new era of interna-
tionsl relationship shall dawn.
The league Of nations is an express
sion Of the universal desire for saner
methods Of regulating affairs Of man
kind. and provides machinery bv which /
practical effort may be given the prin-
ciples of international friendship and /
good understanding The success of /
the labors Of the peace conference. Is a
good augery for the future of the
league Of nations. For the first time
an attempt was made to bring together
under the auspices OF the league repre-
sentstives Of governments. employees
and inborers. and an advance exceed
ing the results of the entire work Of
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