New-York tribune., 1922-09-19
League Asked
To Inervene
To Stop w ar
DIR. Nansen Urges Action
Under Article III of Gov.
enant; Discussion of
Plan Scheduled To-day
By Wilbur Forrest
Special Gable to The Tribune

GENEVA, Sept. 49, An attempt to
in the Turco-Greek war by invoking
Article IL Of the covenant, which gives
the league the right to concern itself
with international affairs of any sort
that threatens peace, failed to-day in
the Assembly, but promises lively dis
cussion tomorrow when it comes up
for discussion in special committee
to which the motion casually was re-
ferred
DR.. Fridtjof Nansen, who to-day
called on the league to provide ways
and means for the relief of 100000
Greek and Armenian refugees from
Smyrna and Brusa, offered resolu-
tion that the leagues emergency fund
be requisitioned for $4,000 immedi
ately, with promise Of greater aid
later. This was adopted by the com
mlttee to which it was referred, and
! II approved by the league council, will
! result IN relief measures through the
medium of the league commission for
Russian refugees at Constantnople.
But DR.. Nanscn's additional proposal
that the league take action whether
by the offer of it's good Offices to the
beiiigerenfs or otherwise with view
| to immediate cessation of hostilities"
met with short shrift in the assembly,
! receiving, no consideration as politi-
cal affair which concerns governments
only.
Nansen to Press Appeal
| DR.. Nansen told The Tribune CORE
| spond ent to-day that he intends TO
| press the contention that the league $
! auth horized by Article II of the cove
nap't to interfere in affair; that
| th9eaten the peace of the world, and
| drty of the league. This is expected
| ~ stir up the greatest interest to-mor-
VOW when it comes up before the
4 committee on initiative," when it is
! expected it will be shown that power
! full governments within the league,
| such as France, England and Italy, are
vitality concerned in the Turco- Greek
war, but up to date have been power
less to check it, although using their
| influence to keep the league out of it.
DR.. Nansen is expected to write in
| his resolution the text of Article II,
! which reads:
| "Any war or threat OF war, whether
Immediately affecting any of the
| members of the league or not, is
| hereby declared matter of concern
to the whole league, and the league
shall take any action that may be
| deemed wise and effectual to safe
| guard the peace of nations. In case
I any such emergency should arise The
! quest Of any member of the league
! forthwith summon a meeting of the
| council.
! "It is also declared to be the
friendly right of each member of the
| league to bring to the attention Of
! the assembly or Of the council any
circumstance whatever affecting in
| ternational relations which threatens
! to disturb the international peace or
! the good understanding between ma
tions upon which peace depends"
Cecirs Plea Turned Down
! 1t will be recalled that Lord Robert
I Cecil's proposal at the beginning of
the assembly here that the league in
terest itself in affairs of the first i'm
| portance met with stern rebuff from
! the Earl of Balfour, Gabriel Hanotaux
| and Paul Hymans, representing three
| important nations in the supreme
| council, and the subject was thereupon
dropped. DR.. Nansen's move to-day is,
therefore, the second, which, if carrie
into real debate, will tend to show the
stultifying influence the supreme coun-
Gil is exercising on the league.
M. Motta, of Switzerland, was one
of those who to-day joined In the con
tention of the greater powers that the
eague should not interfere in such
problems as the Turco-Greek war. For
an entirely different reason the Per
sian delep ate, who reminded the COM
mittee that his nation was the sole
representative in the League of $780,
100000 Mahometans, seconded M
Motta, declaring that last year when
the Mahometan Turks were success
full in Persia that nation asked the
league to intervent in the war IN the
Near East He recalled that the league
refused. and he therefore insisted that
the league should not now Interfere.
since the Turks have the Greeks ire
trievably beaten.
Nansen View Finds Support
Some members Of the league, how
ever. privately sided with Dr. Nansen
in view of the extreme danger winch
would come from the pro-Greek Eng -lsh
and tie pro-Turk French attempting to
nonopolize the settlement OF the
serious situation. Ii in an emergency
these nations should agree on a com
mon policy, it was pointed out that i
was unnecessary for the league to
exert It's SOOQ OnlCSof ohe ~ 80 ~ SiASNS&
among many delegates that the leag lie
should stand ready to take at least
moral action.
Two representatives Of the Angora
government listened to the debate. but
made no comment other than to say
that Mustapha Kemal would not object
to the league taking action. So far
as is known they have not communi-
Gated officially that the league secre-
- ,vI.o IT, c,< {,,.., q
that body.
MELBOURNE, Australia, Sept. Is
(By. The Associated Press). Premier
Hughes of the Australian Common
wealth, has cabled Sir Joseph. Cook,
Australian delegate to the League of
Nations, requesting him imm sdiately
to bring the Near East dispute before
the league with view to securing