Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1925-10-30
League of Nations
And the Balkans
To the Editor of The Star:

To the Editor of The Star:
The council of the League of Ma
tons. in extraordinary session, held in
Paris Monday, has issued an ulti-
matum to the Greek and Bulgarian
governments that within "a hours
they should report to the council that
they have given unconditional orders
for the withdrawal of their troops be-
hind the frontier, and that within 60
hours thereafter to report the actual
withdrawal Of troops and cessation of
hostilftieS. The cable dispatches fur
Their inform us that the governments
Of Great Britain, France and Italy
will send of1cers into the disputed
area to see that the terms of the
league council shall be carried out.
A comparison Of this case and that
Of the assassination of an Italian OFF,
cial in the boundary line Of Albania
and Greece, where the Italian govern.
ment Immediately dispatched troops
and part of the fleet to take posses
sion of Corfu Island and impose ar
bitrarily the payment by the Greek
government of $4,000 900 lire, and In
bombarding the barracks used at that
time for shelter Of woman and child
refugees of the Asia Minor disas-
ter, will readily show the difference
All your readers will remember that
incident. Greece reported and most
strenuously appealed to the League of
Nations for action in that respect.
Italy did not withdraw or deviate from
her course one iota, nor did she con-
sent that the League Of Nations had
any right to mingle with the affair,
stating that the same was a national
honor. and that 1t was an affair en-
tirely to be settled by herself and
Greece without interference Of the
League of Nations or the council
thereof.
In the Corfu incident Italy refused
to submit to the League Of Nations,
and the League of Nations did not
take any action or send an ultimatum
to Italy to comply with the terms OF
any article Of the covenant of the
League of Nations. Because, how
ever, two weak countries have started
to settle dispute, which is contended
that on the one hand the irregulars
of Bulgaria have continuously an
noyed the Greek troops on the bound
aries and have killed sentinels and
regulars, occupied Greek territory, and.
on the other hand, Greek troops, In
order that this matter may be settled,
once for all between the two countries,
undertook punitive measures by oc-
CupSlnS some bulgarian leliilolS, tAiiN
expelling the Bulgarian troops from
Greek territory, the League of Nations
has, this time, shown it's authority.
The present dispute involves two weak
nations, and, therefore, ultimatum was
sent to those countries. In the Corfu
incident, however. one Of the great
powers was involved, and therefore no
such ultimatum was issued either py
the league or it's council.
The question presents itself: How
far can the League of Nations settle
disputes between its members? APP
parently, only when weak nations are
involved settlement seems secure, and
not when one of the great powers Is
involved If that is justice accoroins
to the views of the League OF Ma
tons. then the American people We're
right in voting against the league, and
the United States Senate, properly up
holding the voters by rejecting the
covenant, have saved our Nation en-
barrassment and complications.
SOTERIOS NICHOLSON.