Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1920-12-23

tos In national defense. OF these we
have II ready for service and 2l build
ing, and the board recommends that
three more be built for delivery by
1927. One more battle cruiser. 80
cruisers, 18 submarines and four air.
plane-carrying ships are asked. and
One-year program of naval airpane
construction is recommended. In a
sentence, what the board advises is a
cOmbatant navy equal to the most
powerful maintained by any other ma
tion. supporting and protecting great
merchant feet.
To return to the League of Nations:
Several important things were ac-
complislled last week by the assem-
bly,. First of these was the adoption
OF statute for permanent interna.
tional court of Justice. The plan now
goes to the member states for ratifi-
cation. If 1t is approved by %. or
majority, before the next meeting of
the assembly. the judges will he
chosen and the court will come into
existence in September. 1921. In the
debate on the project there was
hot contest between Europe on one
side and Latin-America on the other
over the question whether the iuris-
diction of the court should be obliga-
tory or voluntary. Europe won out,
and the statute as adopted does not
make obligatory the appearance Of
both parties to dispute, and pro-
vides no penalty for Noncompliance
with the courts decisions. The Euro
pean delegates defended the scheme
as the best beginning that can he
made, but the Latin-Americans were
very skeptical as to the value of op-
tional Jurisdiction.
Austria. first Of the former enemy
states to be admitted to the league,
was voted in Wednesday without OPP
position. four members refraining from
voting. Next day Bulgaria was admit
ted, France and Australia not voting.
The action on Austria brought on a
lively passage between Motta of
Switzerland and viviani of France.
The former took occasion to say that
his country had always regretted the
rejection Of Germany's application for
admission. whereupon Viviani leaped
to the tribune and in fiery speech
defended the French position in op-
posing Germany's admission. Most Of
the assembly was with him and he
was enthusiastically apnlan'ed. Lux
emhurg, Finland and Costa Rica also
were admitted to the League.
Spain. Brazil. Belgium and China
were chosen as the four elective mem
hers of the council. China takes the
place Of Greece. and her victory was
said to be due mainly to the personal
strength and popularity of Or. We'll
lington Koo among the delegates.
Armenia. together with Georgia and
the Baltic states. was refused admits
sion to the league. hut resolution
was adopted expressing the hope that
President Wilson's efforts would re-
suit in the saving Of Armenia and the
establishment of stable government
so that she could he taken into the
fold. Mr.. Wilson has named Henry
Morgenthau as his representative in
the mediation, but Just what he can
do is puzzling many observers Al
ready Armenia has yielded to the he
hests Of the Red Russians and es-
tablished soviet government at Fri
vnn and the Turkish nationallsts,
called Off by Lenine. have signed a
peace treaty with the Armeninne by
which the latter hand back to Turkey
most Of her former territory in that
region. If this suits the majority of
the Armenians. what are the powers
going to do about 1t? And what Is
Mr.. Morgenthau going to try to
mediate?
One genuinely constructive accom-
plislment Of the league assembly last
week was the establishment of an
international commission to be q bank
er for European nations without cred
II or with very diminished credit.
The nations meant are Poland Rou-
mania. Bulgaria, Jugo-S'avia Czecho-
Slovakia. and possibly Turkey. Ma
tions desiring to take advantage Of
the facilities offered will notify the
commission what assets. ETC.. they
wish to pledge with it--for instance,
customs duties, railroads or monop-
olies. The commission will then set
fair value thereon for whatever period
the assets are pledged and authorize
the government in question to issue
gold bonds to that amount. Then in
dividual business men belonging to