Evening star., 1921-09-24
DISPUTE OVER wilma
|. Up BEFORE LEAGUE
Hymans Tells How Refusal OF
Poles Blocked His Arbi-
tration Efforts.

BY the Associa ted Press.
GENEVA. September 24.-Specta-
tors gathered at the Hall of the
Reformation early today in anticipa-
ton of a lively debate over questions
connected with the economic block
ade The assembly expected to dis
cuss the subject yesterday, but owing
to the length of speeches delivered
during the day was obliged to post
pone it's consideration until this
morning. David Jayne Hill. who has
been here since the opening of the
present session of the assembly as
American observer. occupied his GUS
tomary seat in the front row OF the
gallery. Belief this morning was that
i.Some effort would be made during the
, day to dispose of the Polish-Lithua-
nian dispute over the future status of
the Wilma district, as far as the as
sembly is called upon to deal with it.
Hymnns Addressex Assembly.
This expectation was confirmed at
the very beginning of the session
when Paul Hymans of Belgium ad-
dressed the assembly on the Filna
dispute and summarized the history
of the controversy preliminary to
hearing the Polish and Lithuanian
arguments.
Lithuania, it was said by NJ. I:-
mans, had accepted a proposition that
Wilma would be incorporated with
koVno in Lithuania with the status
OF Swiss canton, but Poland had
rejected this solution of the difficulty.
The Belgian delegate began with
the retreat of Russian troops from
Wilma, which was followed by occu-
patton of the city by Lithuanians and
the advance of the bolshevik upon
-
after the treaty of peace was signed
with Lithuania. conceding Wilma to
that country. He declared the con
troversy over Wilma came to the at
tention of the council of the league
when Gen. Zelgowski occupied wilma
by force.
Tells of Baked Efforts.
NJ. Hymans recalled the project for
a plebiscite In the Wilma area safe
guarded by an International force
under the league of nations, the SUD
seQuent efforts of the parties to the
dispute to come together under the
arbitrage Of NJ. Hymans himself. dele
gated by the council to this task.
and the final failure of the effort at
conciliation through the refusal of
the Poles to accept the compromise
project of a cantonal status for wilma.
Lithuania. he pointed out. had not
won freedom for herself and Poland
had not recovered her independence
by her own efforts, but through the
blood shed by the allies in their COM
mon efforts. The peoples who had
contributed to the liberation of these
! states were in the main demanding
from both conciliatory attitude and
the reaching of peaceful agree
| ment.
! The entire assembly. with the ex-
! ceptiOn of the Poles and representa-
-, tives of Baltic states, applauded this
statement.
| Hungary Asks Delay.
NJ Milosz. representing Lithuania
] told the assembly that his country
was ready to make any sacrifice com
/ patible with it's sovereignty and Sc
! curity, but that it must ask for some
| amendments to the settlement pro-
posed by NJ. Hymans.
! This announcement by NJ. Milosz
was well received by the assembly
| He added that no results could be ex-
| pected unless Gen. Ze!gowski was i'm
! mediately obliged to evacuate Wilma
Hungary has asked the assembly OF
the league of nations to suspend
| action on her application TOR aumIs-
! sion to the league until next year
/ Count Albert Apponyi. the Hunga-
| rian delegate. today wrote to Presi-
| dent Van Karnebeek of the assembly
| that on account of the trouble in Bur-
! genland, awarded to Austria by the
/ i treaty. pIeitIS u
! wait.
(The council of ambassadors in
Paris notified Hungary Friday that
! she must completely Withdraw from
! Burgenland. or west Hungary. in the
| near future or be forcefuliy expelled
! by the allies.)
| Decision Sent to south America.
Announcement was made this
| morning in the assembly of the lea que
| of nations that the text of the find
| ing reached by jurists in the con-
troversy between Bolivia and Chile
| which has been cabled TO South
| America. is not as yet regarded as
| the final official decision. 1t may be
! modified, 1t was said, so that direct
application to the Bolivian demand
| for a seaport on the Pacific coast may
| be avoided.
Rumors of another South American
! !disaffection served to dampen the
| spirits of the league of nations as
f! sembly last night. 1t was reported at
! the league secretariat that Bolivia
| discontented with the decision OF
/ three jurists appointed to give an
| opinion on the competency of the
, league to revise treaties. was on the
| point of leaving the assembly