Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1921-09-08
MEETING
NEAR RIOT OVER
BOLIVIAN TREATY
Monroe Doctrine and Com
potency of League Of Ma
tions in American QueS-
tionS Are Discussed.

Geneva, Sept. (bv the Asso-
ciated Press) The Monroe doc
trine and the competency of the
league Of nations In American
questions and in cases where one
party to a treaty asks intervention
to secure revision were principal
subjects of discussion in and out
of the assembly today. The dis
cussions were provoked by Bolivia's
demand that the assembly put on
the agenda the proposed revision of
the Tacna-Arica treaty of 1904 be-
tween Chile and Bolivia.
The debate began at the morn
ing session. A canvass of the prin-
cipal delegations shows large
majority is against establishing n
precedent that the league may in
terfere to revise treaties. particu-
larly treaties OF peace.
There also is a strong feeling
that 1t is, dangerous for the pres
tige of the league not to be able
to consider questions such as raised
by Bolivia, in which there are fea-
lures that in the opinion of some of
the delegates would seem to justify
arbitration. Besides most dele
gates are disinclined to welcome at
this time a debate in which the
Monroe doctrine is invoked In a
manner which virtually calls for
an Interpretation of the leagues
competency in matters supposed TO
be covered by that doctrine.
Augustin Edwards, representing
Chile, argued that Tacna-Arica
was purely an American affair and
that the Monroe doctrine applied
in no sense to European states nor
could the league of nations inter-
fere.
Senior Aramayo. for Bolivia, in
formed the Associated Press that
the chancellory of the United States
had been consulted regarding Bo-
livia's application to the league be-
fore it was submitted and had de-
cided mediation by the league was
not incompatible with the Monroe
doctrine.
A. J.. Balfour of Great Britain,
Lord Cecil Roberts of South Africa
and President Van Karnebeck
failed to keep the debate off the
floor; they succeeded only In Sc
curing the consent of the Bolivian
and Chilean delegates to let the
matter rest after presentation of
their cases until the delegates could
study the documents.
The situation in which an un-
satisfactory issue to either adver-
sary will put the league has re-
vived speculation as to the pro-
posed notifications covenant, with
provision for regional leagues with
| liaisons between them.
The plan will come up at an ear
! " date before the committee on
amendments. There Is considera-
| BILE support for this proposal, many
delegates believing that only thus
can the league work effectively,
| without being hampered by region
al understandings between individ-
ual states.
Absence Of the Central American
delegates, as well as representatives
OF Peru, continues to pre-occupy
the league leaders, who, however,
minimize the effect. They still
hope for late arrivals. and places
have been reserved on all six COM
mittees for the absentees. 1t is an
nounced Peru has an observer here.
but the accredited delegates have
| not arrived.
The committees OF the assembly
! began work today at noon and will
sit daily. The first act of the COM
mittee on amendments was to re-
ject the amendment proposed by
Argentina that all sovereign states
should he members of the league
unless they voluntarily abstained
from membership. 1t was on this
question that the Argentine delega-
tion withdrew from the first as
sembly.