Evening star., 1932-09-17
Withdrawal of Japan and
Germany Held Over Body
as 0fninous Possibility.
new MOVE DISCUSSED
TO WIN U. S. BACKING
Reorganization Would Be Along
Lines Acceptable to Washington,
Reports State.
BY PAUL SCOTT MOWRER.

l
| PARIS, September 1.-THE League
! of Nations-the hope Of the world or
the monument of idealistic folly-is
facing today what may prove to be its
| supreme crisis. Its future constitution,
personnel and membership, perhaps
even its existence itself, appear to be at
stake.
! Among the various possibilities, not
the least likely is said to be the scrapping
of this league altogether and the start
ing of new one along lines accepta BILE
to the United States. 1t is understood
that the French and British have al
ready, informally, discussed such a
move, and it is probable that Ramsay
Macdonald, prime minister of Great
Britain, also discussed this privately
with Henry L. Stimson, although with
out any encouragement from the
American side, when the American Sec
retary of State last visited Europe.
Reasons for Crisis.
The reasons which seem about to cul-
inmate in this crisis may be enumerated
thus:
l. The United States has never
joined the League and shows no signs
of ever doing SO.
2. Russia is not q member.
3. Great Britain in the last few
years has seemed to prefer a weak to
strong League and Macdonald at
present is believed to favor settling the
worlds problems by direct conSulta-
tions among the great powers rather
than through the League
4. After year of effort the League
has shown itself impotent in Far East
ern affairs. Japan has defied it with
complete impunity and threatens now,
if the League continues to try to carry
out the Covenant, to resign from the
League.
5. Germany seems to have with
drawn from the Disarmament Confer
ence and is believed to contemplate
withdrawal from the League if France
attempts to use the League machinery
against Germany on the charge of
treaty-breaking.
Italy Might Follow Suit.
g. Italy sympathizes with Germany
and allows it to be understood that if
Germany quits the League, Italy will,
too.
Z. The resignation of Germany and
Italy from the League would presumably
entail the resignat ton of several of the
smaller European states-for example,
Hungary. Austria and Bulgaria.
8. The war in the Gran Chaco be-
tween Bolivia and Paraguay is renewed
evidence of the Leagues incapacity to
deal successfully in Latin American
disputes.
g. With all this comedies the crisis
in the League secretariat. precipitated
by the resignation of Sir Eric Drum
mond, secretary general, and the expira-
ton of the terms of the underSecre-
taries and heads of the departments,
and complicated by disputes and criti-
cisms regarding expenses and allotment
Of posts.
Would Leave League Weak.
Obviously, with the United States
and Russia out from the beginning,
the departure of Japan, Germany and
Italy would leave only two great powers
still in-Great Britain and France
one of which, Great Britain, prefers a
weak to strong League. In other
words, virtually nothing would be left.
What actually happens next will de-
pend on circumstances, but there is no
doubt that some farseeing leaders in
both Great Britain and France are al
ready looking forward to the possibility
of conversations with the next American
Government, whatever it may be. on the
subject Of modifying the old, or creating
new, league in such way as to make
it acceptable to American opinion.
The most immediate danger to the
League appears to reside in the japanese
and German situations. If the League,
after hearing the Lytton report. tends
to condemn Japan, the latter may notify
the League of its resignation, thereby
precipitating the entire issue.
Similarly, if France persists in its
present intention to appeal to the
League against Germany for alleged
treaty breaking, then Germany, by its
resignation, may bring matters to a
head.
Try to Delay Crisis.
The whole effort of League officials.
the British government and diplomats
OF some of the anxious smaller states is,
therefore, to put off the evil day as long
as possible.
The thirteenth League assembly,
which should meet in the first week in
september. has been postponed until
the fourth week. Tremendous efforts
are being made behind the scenes to
postpone the meeting of the Disarma-
",
scheduled for September 81.
France Is being asked to delay its
appeal against Germany until further
negotiations have taken place.
BY dint of much skill and energy, the
Lytton report on the Far Eastern crisis
has been greatly retarded. Weeks were
wasted in forming the commission. Its
inquiries on the spot and the drafting
of its report have taken more than six
months. The report is understood to
have been ready now for several weeks,
but is being held up until after this
League assembly, so that more time can
be gained.
Yesterday Japan requested six weeks
for reflection after the report is pre-
sented and League circles naturally
favor granting this.
1t is possible that all this tremendous
stalling will enable the present League
to ride out the storm one way or an
other and survive. 1t appears equally
possible, however, that those who want
to face the facts and revise or scrap
this League and construct another with
the United States will prevail
Essentially, the League in practice
has shown itself to be two things:
One, treaty, and, two, a piece of dip
lomatic machinery. AS piece of ma
chinery it is generally thought to have
| been fairly satisfactory, perhaps even
| indispensable.
The trouble has been with the treaty,
| the so-called League Covenant, which
only could work if it were truly univer-
sal and which seemingly never will be
universal as long as it includes provi-
sions for common armed or economic
action against aggressors.
(Copyyight, 1920