The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-10-26
TOPEKA STATE JOURNAL
Information, Bureau
FREDERIC .. HAsKIN. Director.
Washington, d. @.
LEAGUE OF NATIONS AT WORK


this service will constitute the first
one of world significance undertaken
and accomplished by that body. the
league has been so much the subject
of partisan discussion in the United
States that it is sometimes difficult
for the American people to think OF
it as going concern. When the
treaty of Versailles was up for ratl-
fication in the senate, the league or
nations was the principal bone or con-
tention. 1t resulted finally in the de-
feat of the treaty and the American
people have dropped quite naturally
cause the United States repudiated
the league, there is no league.
, This is quite contrary to the fact.
The league of nations is in business
and is an active element in interna-
tional affairs. True, it has no Off
cial business with the United States
| because this country is not member,
but many other countries are and
there is plenty for the organization
to do. The Turkish controversy fur
nishes an opportunity to perform a
really big task, If it is capable, but
the years between the present crisis
and the first establishment of the
league have not been idle.
The principal publicity which the
league of nations has enjoyed on this
side of the water in the last two or
three years has been in connection
with. conferences, most of which have
been abortive. The great gatherings
at Brussels and Genoa have been par
TALLY under the auspices of the league.
These have failed to accomplish defi-
mite detectives. Meantime, however,
the league has been plugging away at
routine jobs and has been accomplish
ing tfiesn. Little publicity has at
tended these exploits because they
were for the most part of local in
terest.
The purpose of the league is to
prevent international disputes from
simmering over a period of years and
eventually developing into war. Fol-
lowing is brief outline of what has
been actually done in a quiet and
businesslike way in the last two or
three years:
What Has Been Done.
The province of Upper Silesia pre-
scented problems of vexed nature be-
cause of conflicting aims of various
races and nationalities residing with
in it's borders and especially because
of the rich natural products of the
land. The league has taken up this
question and in a series of conferences
has settled amicably practically all
the disputed points. A few minor
matters remain under consideration
but are in a fair way to settlement.
Lithuania and Poland, soon after
| their erection as nations. got into
boundary dispute and each challenged
the sovereignty of the other over GER
tain territory. The league has been
at work on this and reports substan-
tial progress, hostile demonstrations
having ceased.
Albania complained to the league
that the Serb Croat- Slovene State
| formerly Serbia) was encroaching on
hGT- dor ~ia h n a c
been in progress for some time, a
commission of inquiry has been at
work and a program is being worked
out for the settlement of the dispute.
Meantime hostilities have ceased and
the parties have given evidence of be-
ing willing to await the decision of
the league.
The first case to be completely and
amicab1y settled by the league is that
relating to the Aaland Islands. These
islands, located in Baltic waters, are
of great strategic Importance and the
league undertook a negotiation pro-'
viding for their naturalization and
standardization. It will be remem-
bered that the Island of Heligoland,
the great German naval base which
was not even scratched during the
war, was regarded by the allies as so
sailles provided for its demolition.
| The Aaland Islands occupied a SINH
lar strategic position. Sweden had
the control of them and the league
undertook to remove the menace. 1t
succeeded in arranging a convention
which has been finally ratified by the
principal European powers and which
| is in effect an agreement for the nom
fortification of the island.
| The league has had under negotia-
ton the problem of Armenia and of
resolving the mixed differences Of
1 a. ~ IL,
| bles in the Near East have embar-
raised these transactions seriously but
| 1t is expected that if the league gets
| into the whole Near Eastern question,
the Armenia matter can be worked
| out in conjunction with the Turkish
question.
New Questions Taken Up.
| A new question, taken up by the
league comparatively recently, relates
| to Eastern Galicia. The league has
| invited the attention of the powers to
the Importance of settling the status
of this territory and plans are afoot
| to hold conferences on the question.
Another new question now in pro-
! cess of diplomatic negotiation relates
to the province of Eastern Carella.
| Finland feels that Soviet Russia has
| been encroac ching on her sovereignty
| in Eastern Carella and the matter
has been refert3d to the league. The
/
| thonia and Poland have nationalistic
interests in this region and are having
g. voice in the settlement.
The league of nations has been con-
tinuously concerned with the govern
ment of the Saar Basin and has been
proceeding with administrative work
of wide variety including the af-
| fairs of the Free City of Danzig, the
protection of minorities and the adju-
dication Of minor boundary disputes.
A great technical organization has
been functioning steadily, gathering
and studying statistics of the various
nations of the world. These include
finance, transportation, navigation,
hydroelectric development and other
power, navigation of the air and a
score of other subjects.
The other great international body
which the treaty of Versailles created
is the international labor office. This
is not an adjunct of the league of ma
tions but a separate body maintaining
a large staff ct Geneva nth branch