Evening star., 1921-09-12
SPIRITED POLITICS :
MARKS SELECTION
OF WORLD JUDGES
Assembly of League Makes
Effort to Clear Decks for
Voting Wednesday.
COLOMBIAN DELEGATE
URGES WIDER PUBLICITY
Leon Bourgeois Speaks of Effect of
Washington Conference and
American Interest.
By the Associated Press,

BY the Associated Press.
GENEVA. September 12.-Members
of the assembly of the league of ma
tions gathered half hour earlier this
morning in an effort to finish debate
on the report of the secretariat of the
council of the league. 1t was hoped
that the discussion might be COM
pleted by tomorrow, SO that the
agenda might be cleared for the cleo
ton on Wednesday of judges of the
International court
Ten delegates were to speak today.
Among them was Seflor Gimeno of
Spain, who was expected to be the
nrst member of the assembly to use
the Spanish language under last
years ruling of the assembly provid-
ing that members were free to use
any tongue other than French or
English if they supplied their own
Interpreters.
Wilma District Dispute.
The council of the league met today
and heard delegations from Poland
and Lithuania argue the contentious
OF their respective countries regard
ing the dispute over the Wilma district,
which is claimed by both nations.
The meeting of the delegates this
morning took on the aspects of a ma
tional political convention in the
United States. the election of judges
OF the international court being
theme of universal interest.
The delegates assembled in small
groups. or hurried from one gathering
to another to canvass the situation.
These animated conferences delayed
today's session fifteen minutes, de-
spite President Van Karnebeek's ar
dent desire that the assembly should
get to work promptly.
Praises Work Of Council.
When the days proceedings opened,
Delegate Urrutia of Colombia spoke
in continuation of the general debate,
praisfng highly the work of the
leagues council. He declared the
leagues act in instituting the inter-
national court afforded striking evil
dence OF the leagues vitality and eff.
ficiency.
In--the course of his remarks Senior
Urrutia urged a larger degree of pub
Hcity for the leagues doinEs.
The news Of what is going on in
the league must not continue to be, as
now. the property of a few selected;
Leon Bourgeois of France. conttnu.
ing the debate. declared there was NO
reason for the league to be alarmed
by the coming conference at Wash
ington.
The league respects national sentf..
ments," he said. "and recognizes that
those who are outside as wen as those
who are inside the league have the
right to occupy themselves with the
great question of disarmament.
TT was not to be expected" added
NJ Bourgeois. that a country which
sent 100000 men across the Atlantic
to fight for liberty would afterward
renounce a part in future affairs
American Interest.
NJ. Bourgeois cited the presence in
Geneva of the numerous correspond
ents of the American press as evil
dence of the interest the United States
has in the league.
Il am sure" he. continued, that the
dispatches they send across the sea
will convince the Americans that the
good work We are doing here can only
augment the efficacy Of such good
work as may be done in Washington"
Referring to the dissatisfaction of
Sweden with the Aland islands award,
made under the leagues Jurisdiction.
M. Bourgeois agreed with the senti-
ment previously expressed by A. J.
Balfour Of Great Britain, that it was
impossible to please both sides in such
controversies.
The French delegate mentioned the
increasing numbers Of demands for
the Intervention of the league in
various situations as evidence that
confidence in it had not been shaken
by the discomfort of unsuccessful
parties in the cases that had been de-
cided.
Predicts Open Sessions.
NJ. Bourgeois said that "long range
preparation for preservation of the
peace as well as immediate action for
the prevention of war when it threat
ened to break OUT was one of the
objects of the league, which the pub
lie ought to comprehend. The league
council; he intimated, intends to open
its sessions to the public to a greater
extent. as had been demanded by the
leading advocates of greater pub
licity, Lord Robert Cecil and Hjalmar
Branting.
Those who pretend that the league
seeks to- extend its authority over any
state have not read the covenant and
have not followed a single one Of our
deliberations M. Bourgeois exclaimed
in conclusion. amid the applause of the
entire assembly.
\ The first speech in Spanish to be
delivered in the assembly followed the
address of M. Bourgeois, when Senior
Gimeno of Spain took the platform.
His remarks were appiauded on sew
eral occasions by the Spanish speak
CONTINUED on Page 2, Column 3.)