Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-08-15
Three Premiers to
Make Speeches at
League Assembly

GENEVA, July - IA. L. DN Mall)-
For the first time in the history of
| the League OF Nations the heads of
| the three great European powers will
attend the. assembly which opens
September |. Not only have
premiers Macdonald, Herriot and
| Mussolini announced their intention
| of coming, but it is expected all
| three will make important adj
dresses. The lesser powers are eX-
pected to send their foreign ministers.
| In view of the increased collabora
! ton of the United States, more
particularly with reference to opium
and matters affecting the problem
of reduction of ornaments, the ques-
ton is being asked at Geneva
whether there is any likelihood of
Washington sending observers, either
! official or unofficial.
1t is believed in Geneva that dis
armament will constitute the great
subject of this years assembly de-
bate. AS one Swiss newspaper put
ii, England's recent reputation of
me League of Nations provisional
! draft treaty of mutual assistance
has resulted in cffectual burial of
that treaty. 1t will be eXhumed.
undoubtedly, but only to serve as
Gated to the finding of some more
suitable arrangement for the reduc-
ton OF ornaments.
Can security for France and Bel
Sium be made possible through the
mechanism OF the League? Can
| definite zones of territory between
particular countries be demilitaris-
ed? Can special international front
iers. as for instance the borderland
| between France and Germany, be
subjected to international control
through the League of Nations, as "a
means of preventing future war?
Can the World Court of Justice at
the Hague be utilized more largely
as u means of preventing hoSti!ities
| when danger of war arises in the
! future? What system can be devised
to secure Il limitation of ornaments
which will have the collaboration Of
the United States?
These are some of the questions
| which men are turning over in their
| minds as the assembly approaches.
1t is felt here that the great
difficulty to the attainment of any
thing practical in disarmament
| through the machinery of the
[ League of Nations is the absence of
the United States from the League
! This difficulty was clearly pointed
out by Premier Macdonald in his
recent communication rejecting the
provisional draft treaty of mutual
assistance.
Another subject of preliminary as
sembly discussion is England's re-
lection of any plan, such as is con-
tanned in the pact of mutual as
sistance to make the League Council
en- executive body with very large
powers in the control OF military
forces sent to operate against ag-
sressive states. England wants the
councils prerogatives to be kept
merely advisory, pointing out that
under article 16 of the covenant. the
council can only recommend action,
while even under article 10 it can
o Ii advise
The trend of thought here is that
the League must not seek to thrust
It's authority upon nations, but
through careful examination and
carefully weighed opinions and
by resultant publicity. indicate to
the world where responsibility for
aggression lies and suggest conciiia-
tory means of settlement.
The preliminary agenda of the as
sembly indicates that a great variety
VI ieSal, Hndnclal. political, adj
ministrative, technical and humani-
tartan questions will come before the
assembly. The assembly will be
told all about the arrangements for
the international Opium Conference
which will be held at Geneva in
November, and will hear something
OF the difficulties which prevented
any agreement by the experts for q
preliminary draft convention. The
problem of Russian and Greek
refugees. the position of the man
GATED world territories, which in
Guide some S60.000.000 people. the
progress Of the reconstruction of
Austria and Hungary and the happv
solution of the Mcneil problem
through the assistance of an i'm
partial American. Norman II. Davis
all Will come before the delegates.
AS for disarmament. the delegates
VIII have before them the text of
the treaty of disarmament and
security which was drawn up by .
group OF American citizens and
which contains features which have
attracted the attention of experts in
Europe. This brings the American
project on the agenda of the as
sembly.