The log cabin Democrat., 1921-01-15
FIRST BIRTHDAY OF
 LEAGUE OF NATIONS
Written for the United Press)

tWrltten for the United PresS)
 Geneva, Jan. 15.-The first birth day anniversary of the League of Ma tions occurs Sunday, January 16. On that day year ago the first meeting of the council was held at Paris and the formal organization of the league effected. The intervening twelve months have been much troubled by echoes of the great war and by the feverish efforts of the world to reacn some sort of new equilibrium. The handicap thus placed on the first at tempt at a worldwide international organization has been tremendous.
 A year ago the league had 23 de- clared members. Today it has 49, Nicaragua and Honduras having con- pleted their notifications, while the Al delegations comprising the assemb- ly were still in session at Geneva, where six new members were granted admission. two of them being former enemy states.
 The present membership of the league represents an estimated total population of 1.247, 100000 to which can be added another 12 900 900 people living in mandatory territories. Elev- en more states, with a total popula- tion of 44,0O0,000 have applied for membership, leaving a total of only 361 100000 people wholly outside.
 One year ago tho league machinery consisted of the council and an in- cipient secretariat with insufficient temporary quarters at London. Today the league has home of it's own in this city. where the staff of the gen. eral secretariat. consisting of several hundred people form a score of coun- tries. occupies 175 rooms, while near by building has more rooms used for committee meetings and as offices for the various membber states.
 About 60 international treaties have been registered bby score of nations under the covenant provision for open diplomacy. Partly through the labors of the secretariat and partly through a number of international conferences held under the auspices of the league, most of the subsidiary or auxiliary organizations prescribed by the GOV enant have been brought into exist ence.
 The first steps have been taken to- ward the creation of permanent ln- ternational court with extensive Judl- cial powers.
 The first official international labor
 
 Permanent or provisional commls. sions have been established to deal with the problem of disarmament; with the control of authority granted to mandatory powers; with the use of the economic blockade against viola tors of the worlds peace; with the of the worlds finances; with questions of public health, and with the protection and coordination of the international communications. The league has provided govern ment for the Saar territory and has engineered the establishment ot Dan zig as a free city.
 It has undertaken to settle the dis pute between Sweden and Finland about the Aaland islands, and it has managed in the face of great dlffi- culties to maintain truce between Poland and Lithuania that gives hope of peaceful settlement.
 It is now gathering an armed ln- ternational force drawn from eight countries to police the Wilma district while,a civil commission of it's appoint ment supervises plebiscite to deter mine the final disposal of that region.
 With the assistance of the league and under it's direction, more than 100000 war prisoners have been re- stored to their native countries, some of them being brought halfway around the world for that purpose.
 A systematic campaign has been in- augurated against the epidemics rav- aging central Europe.