Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-09-26
LEAGUE Determined
TO HAVE COMPETENCY
QUESTION SETTLED

Geneva, Sept. 25 (By A. P.)-That
speed is the guiding principle in the
League of Nations determination to
nave its covenant subjected to juridi-
cal Interpretation was evidenced to-
night by the fact that the special
committee of legal experts had al
ready framed its preliminary report.
IhlS examination was decided upon
because of 1talys refusal to admit
the competency of the covenant with
respect to her recent dispute with
Greece.
The league council met tonight and
received the report of the experts,
VINO were appointed to frame suitable
questions on which the covenant
could be judged, the idea being to
submit them to the Permanent Court
of international Justice for an adj
VlSory opinion and to secure illumi-
mating rulings which will serve as a
basis for the future. Just what does
the covenant mean is the general end
which the league seeks to attain.
Thre will be no abandonment Of
the question apparently, because the
| council plans to make a full report
to the assembly before that body adj
Journs next Saturday, and allow no
suspicion to linSCr in the mind of any
delegate that the grave issue of the
covenant Interpretation has been
thrown aside.
The experts reported that they had
drawn up five questions. These have
not been made public. but it is under
stood that three of them directly con-
Germ the leagues competency. One
refers to the responsibility of states
for political crimes committed within
their borders.
Multitudnous problems occupied
five of the league commissions today;
! they sat simultaneously at the league
headquarters. but the most trouble
some problem of all was that definite
~ fixing the method whereby nom
permanent members of the council
! shall be elected. The system of cleo
, ton has never been clearly outlined
and todays deliberations brought no
further light. The council now is
! composed of four permanent mem
bers-Great Britain, France. Italy and
Japan; the six nom permanent men,
, bers are Spain, Belgium, Brazil. Chi
ma, Uruguay and Sweden. The nom
permanent members are elected year.
| ly. as the amendment that only two
/ should go out every year was never
ratified. Both Poland and Czecho-
Slovakia are campaigning for seats on
| the council, and it is generally eX
peCted that NJ. Benes. of Czecho- Slo-
vakia, will be elected China will
! probably lose her seat
The French today proposed the a
! BOLTON of the temporary mixed COM
! mission of the League which handles
| questions on disarmament, on the
! ground that it contains no represen-
tation of the governments and there
fore can achieve nothing concrete in
armament reduction. Lord Robert
Cecil opposed the French suggestion.
and the council came to no decision.
The assembly of the League held
one of the most dramatic sessions in
it's history today when by one hostile
vote. that of Persia. the resolution
| interpreting Article y of the covenant
failed of passage. BY this resolution
states retain their sovereign rights to
decide themselves what military aid
should be given to other countries
when attacked.
DR.. De La Torriente, president Of
the assembly. reserved the question Of
final and definite action by the assem-
Article Y of the covenant by declaring
that, although the resolution had not
. been accepted, he could not say the
motion for its acceptance was lost.
This was so because the assembly
had not declared itself in favor of
contrary Interpretation.
The league council will be furnish
ed the details of the vote. taking. and
meanwhile efforts will be made to
induce Persia. the only state voting
against the resolution, to make its
approval unanimous.