Evening star., 1926-06-12

there may be formed a coalition Of
the Spanish nations against Portu-
guese Brazil.
There has never been but one
American issue presented to the
league for arbitration, and that one
was refused consideration. 1t was
the appeal of Bolivia for a corridor
across Tacna-Ar to the ocean, on
the ground that it had been wrested
from her by war and was an inner
ent right, being vital to her life as a
nation. The council rejected the ap-
peal as beyond its jurisdiction. Bra
zil supported the appeal.
The rejection was in accordance
with the leagues recognition that it
is not supergovernment with un-
limited powers over the nations. This
limitation is expressed officially in the
following resolution:
There are matters referred to the
covenant which are not within the
competence of the assembly or council
but require the concurrence and action
of the governments concerned. in the
form OF international conventions"
The present controversy between
Brazil and the European nations as
to permanent membership in the
council. alongside of the permanent
members originally instituted-Great
Britain, France. Italy and Japan
centers around the admission of
Germany into the league as a per-
manent member of the council This
is vetoed by Brazil, unless Brazil
simultaneously becomes a permanent
member. The council acts only by
unanimous votes, hence one vote bars
Germany from both the council and
the league. since Germany refuses to
enter the league without. being given
the same status as the great powers
There is also Spain, demanding a
permanent seat in the council. not on
the ground of her present power, but
because of her glories of the past
Spain has been a candidate for the
council since 1921, when England and
France supported her claim. Her pop
ulation now is less than 10000 900.
Now comes Poland with pOpula-
ton nearly SO per cent greater than
that Of Spain and nearly as large
as that Of Brazil. Poland. too. wants
seat in the council alongside of
France and Italy and Great Britain
emphatically demands a seat II her
neighbor and former enemy, Ger
many, is given such power.
X X X X
Last March 10 Mr.. Mell6 Franco,
the representative of Brazil in the
league, notified. the council in un-
equivocal language that unless she
We're given permanent seat in the
council she would not only refuse
reelection to a nOn-permanent seat,
but would withdraw from the league.
Spain has issued a similar threat
Poland is not quite so Outspoken, but
is insistent.
Yesterday Brazil actually rendered
her resignation to the council. which
the council refused to consider, on
the ground that since the election
had been made by the assembly, and
not by the council. the assembly
(Which meets next September) is the
only body which can receive and con-
slider the resignation.
Nevertheless, the fact that Brazil
had even gone so far as to file a
resignation is taken by the members
as serious. NJ. Boncour, representing
France, plainly warned his fellow
members that unless this matter
could be adjusted it marked the
breaking up of the league.
British observers claim that they
see indications that France has been
pulling wires to Offset the advantage
which Germany holds in the support
of Sweden, although Sweden's power
| to veto Brazil's election is neu-
| tralized by Brazil's power to prevent
unanimity in the council as to Ger
many. Poland, while keeping up her
demand for a permanent seat in the
council, is reported confidentially as
being we'll satisfied with the COM
promise promise of a temperament
seat. The non-permapent members