Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-03-03
BATTLE FOR SEATS
ONLEAGUE COUNCIL
MOVES ALL EUROPE
Poland, Spain and Brazil
Have Strong Backing
for Places.
GERMANY ALONE Is SURE
OF PERMANENT POSITION
British Oppose Polish Bid-France
Seeks to Curb Anglo-Ger-
man Influence.
eY PAUL SCOTT MOWRER.

BY PAUL SCOTT MOWRER.
Ey Gable to The Star and Chicago Daily News.
PARIS. March 3.-The special s.
slnbly which opens next Monday at
Geneva to admit Germany to the
League Of Nations has provoked an
International political crisis of eXcep-
tjopal gravity.
Rivalries and suspicious have sprung
up with such intensity that the whole
Lucarno spirit of conciliation seems
10 be threatened. The crisis, in the
opinion of some political writer's, is
worse than the Ruhr situation was" :"
All European chancelleries are pre-
occupied. All leading European news
apers are publishing columns OF dip
lomatic gossip and controversy.
Statesmen and journalists are going
- Geneva in such numbers that no
places are left in trains and no rooms
in the hotels there.
Other Seats Cause Fights.
Everybody admits that Germany
IL to join the league and to be given
p place Immediately in the league
council. The issue is whether other
states, notably Poland. Spain and Bra
I'll, shall also be given permanent
seats in the council.
The crisis is really tribute to the
growing political power and prestige
of the league council. which the
Frankfurter Zietung calls the worlds
supreme political organization.
At the mere mention of enlarging
the council there is a stir among
ambitious states in all parts Of the
world. Not only Germany. Poland.
Spain and Brazil have been. men,
toned as possible new permanent
members, but China. Belgium and
one of the British dominions.
There is no doubt that member
ship in the council gives a minor
state political advantage far superior
70 those to which its actual situa-
tion entities 1t. for all the councils
decisions must be unanimous. and
the veto of a single member can
block the whole procedure.
Arms Parley Delay Likely.
Whatever is decided. the effects Of
the decision. not only on the future
OF the League but on the European
political balance. will doubtless be
far eaching. Among other results,
Il new postponement of the pre-
lminary disarmament conference.
which the United States is patiently
waiting to attend, seems almost GER
tain
AS originally conceived, the coun-
Gil was to consist of five permanent
members-F'rance. Great Britain,
Japan, Italy and the United States
and four temporary members from
among the lesser powers. changed
or renewed from year to year.
The idea OF the Leagues founders
was that Germany and Russia, as
great powers, should also ultimately
he permanent members and that at
the same time the proportion of
temporary members should be duly
Increased.
The council would thus correspond
roughly to the pre-war concert Of
powers, extended to include the United
states and Japan, and tempered by
giving representation to the lesser
states. The abstention of the United
States was made the excuse for in
Creasing the temporary members from
1 to &. The council, therefore. now
has 10 members, permanent and 6
temporary.
Balance Held Destroyed
on the theory that Germany's ad-
AilASNAOIl eiS IL pei tIlelIlCill IuSIIlDtI dO-
stroys the balance, the whole ques-
tion of the composition of the coun-
Gil now is wide open.
France is backing Poland, Spain
and Brazil for permanent member
ship. She hopes thus to counteract
Anglo-German influence and increase
her own diplomatic influence.
British opinion strongly opposes
Poland and is more friendly toward
los ,-if iGI1
foreign minister, hopes TO save the
Locarno spirit by compromise and he
has succeeded in obtaining "a free
hand from the British government
10 act as seems best.
Germany threatens not to join the
league if the council is enlarged with
out her consent. but allows ii to be
understood that she might let Poland
into the council if the Allies would
agree to evacuate the entire Rhine
land in the near future.
Italy favors the Polish claim.
Sweden. as a lesser power, stubbornly
opposes any enlargement of the coun-
ell. except as concerns Germany.
Each power seems to suspect the
others OF dark plot.
Settlement Time Is Question.
The immediate question is whether
the question of enlargement of the
council shall be settled before or after
Germany is given seat in the coun-
ell. If before, Germany will be con-
fronted by an accomplished fact. If
after, Germany will have full power
OF veto against Poland.
Those opposed to the enlargement
say it will destroy the councils effica
cy by making it unwieldy and that
the admission of lesser powers to per
manent seats is necessarily arbitrary.
Those who favor 1t say the council
should he democratized and the ar
bitrary element can be avoided by
keeping to geographical racial
groups.
One compromise proposed is TO give
Germany a permanent seat and Poland
a temporary seat Immediately and
postpone the remaining questions un-
til next September.
copyright. 1925. by Chicago Daily News CO..
DELAY is EXPECTED.