New-York tribune., 1921-09-16
Few Delegates at Geneva
Continue to Regard 1t
as the Superpower That
They Visualized i'm 1920
Cannot Enforce DEGREES
Campaign of Publicity Is
Advised to Enlist Wider
Cooperation of Nations
By Wilbur Forrest
Special Cable 90 The Tribune

Special Cd6te TO The Tribune
Copyright. 1921. New York Tribune Inc
GENEVA, Sept. 15.-As the League of
Nations approaches the end Of fort
nights deliberations the impression
might be gained specifically that the
league has resolved 4itself into an in
ternational debating society in which
hundreds Of thousands of words have
been given forth by representatives of
nations from all quarters Of the globe
Events, however, are beginning to
bring into definite light the fact that
the society Of nations is coming to q
new status.
In effect the league has somewhat
humiliated itself. This world super
power, which was to create perfect uni
versal brotherhood almost overnight as
it existed in the minds of some Of the
leagues supporters a year ago, is now
recognized as mere illusion. Only a
few delegates out Of those represent
ing the more than forty nations in the
Geneva meeting have not reversed
their beliefs of 1920. The league to-
day, if it is to be compared to anything
for purposes of illustration, is like a
mentally alert young cripple, who is not
necessarily incurable but in the mean
time Is possessed Of ability to act as
powerful moral force.
Prescribes, but Cannot Enforce
The Geneva meeting has shown be-
yond the shadow of doubt that the
league is not yet powerful enough to
prescribe the medicine of universal
disarmament and treat vital world ills
and at the same time force the patient
to take its medicine. Certainly, how
ever, the league has demonstrated it's
growing moral powers and it must
necessarily function, at least until it
is joined by the United States and
other great powers, such as Russia and
Germany, on this basis.
The leagues principal weapon will
be publicity, which will not only be
directed when occasion requires against
dishonest international powers, but will
be used for literally acquainting the
world Of the leagues activities, in the
hope that public opinion of the nations
in the league, as we'll as in those out
side, will strengthen its hands.
Before the League Assembly adjourns
here, The Tribune learns, methods to
gain greater publicity will be adopted.
An illustration of the use of publicity
to exert moral pressure will also be
given in the next few days by Paul
Hymans, Of Belgium, who on behalf Of
the league has been for some time
attempting to bring, the Polish-Lithu-
ton and has failed because of the
stubbornness of the nations involved.
Passes Verdict to Assembly
M. Hymans will lay the cold, bare
facts of the situation before the Assem-
bly,. He thus will permit the Assembly,
in which forty-two nations are repre-
sented, to judge the merits Of the case
and pass appropriate resolutions to be
sent to every portion of the globe.
The moral pressure campaign is be-
coming daily more effective against the
powerful Council of the League of Ma
tions, which is made up Of the larger
powers and is credited with squelching
the disarmament activities of the
league as it awaits the outcome of the
Washington conference. The Assembly
which has been the clearing house
for international discussions since il
opened September s. shows a decided
tendency to pledge the league to con-
tinue to act on greater scale. While
the delegates realize that they will be
unable to force the nations to disarm
completely, they are preparing to ex-
ercise moral pressure in an effort ts
coerce league members to declare thei,
| intention to disarm and submit theil
| governmental building plans :.
| This tendency, notwithstanding the
coming conference of the greatei
powers in Washington in Novemb Der
has been outlined in a dozen speeche,
before the assembly.
| DR.. Christian Lange, secretary Of tn,
General Parliamentary Union and dele
gate to the assembly from Norway
! told the assembly to-day that the pub
I lcestiauss N sskt pasaa