Evening star., 1932-02-27
GENEVA OBSERVATIONS
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

Ask anybody at the League of
Nations, particularly members of Secre-
tary General Sir Eric Drummond's
| bureaucratic hierarchy, or European
statesmen of the Spaniard Madariaga's s
or the Greek Politis' type of ardent pro-
Leaguers, why the "Societe des Nations"
has fallen down In the Far East and
they'll surprise you by saying 1t hasn't
done anything of the sort. It's the
great powers that have curled up,
and two of them most ANONYMOUSLY
of all-Great Britain and the United
States-according to League officials and
supporters. History will duly record
that fact, they affirm, and not to
Genevas discredit. Had the English
speaking governments been prepared to
join in punitive measures against
Japan-especially in an economic boy
| cott-League leaders suggest that tragic
events Of the past few weeks might
have taken different course. Uncer-
tainty as to Americas attitude is
adduced as the main thing that para
| lyzed League action. Without asSur-
ance that the United States would
break off trade relations with Japan,
Geneva contends that initiation OF such
| l. assures on the Leagues part would
has been utterly futile.
4 II X 4
DR.. Yen and his Chinese associates
| insist that the white powers, and above
all Britain and the U. S. A, will live
to rue the day they determined not to
call the Japanese to account in the
Manchurian and Shanghai affairs.
Nowhere else in the world, the Chinese
at Geneva are saying, does prestige
mean quite what 1t denotes In the
mystic East. If Japan Is allowed to
get away with murder (most of the
Chinese statesmen here speak Ameri-
| canized English, and they use that
expressive idiom OF ourS), China'S mil
| lions will be indelibly impressed with
the fact that yellow Japan defled white
Europe and America, which could not
or would not raise finger in retalia-
ton. In both the political and COM
mercial realms, this alleged kow-tow
| to yellow invulnerability will be re-
membered throughout China, we are
told.
The way of the Disarmament Con-
ference, like that Of the transgressor
is indeed hard. No sooner had war in
Asia dulled the conferences edge than
the French cabinet crisis came along
| to plunge 1t still deeper into the dol
drums. Disappointment on this score Is
more acute among the unofficial world at
Geneva--like newspaper correspondents,
broadcasters and certain type Of camp
| followers, like society women who
thought Geneva would bristle with
lions worth hunting-than among dele
| gates and their stats. The latter knew
or later find their wholly unexciting
and matter-of- fact level. Keynote
speeches, submission Of long and tech
nical proposals for reduction or limi-
| tation Of this, that or the other
weapon Of war. then conversion of the
| conference into an endless series of
committee discussions Conferences are
| like that. This one Is running true
to form.
Geneva's favorite indoor sport is
| making a time table for the conference.
The latest estimate is that the world
need not look for final results, what
ever they are, until next october.
| This Is the way the fixers of that date
| work It out Formal adjournment soon
after the middle of March, to last well
| over the Easter holidays and the
Of committee activities, say, about
June !. Recess over the Summer, say,
until after the annual September ses-
sion Of the League Assembly that
month. Reconvening of the conference
early in october, with fair prospect of
decisions before November l. This
would presumably give the American
delegation opportunity, If desired, to
| spend the Summer in the United
| States and brush shoulders with vox
populi on disarmament matters.
y u
The League Of Nations buildings and
grounds, like legations and embassies
In foreign capitals, are extraterrito-
rial. Once upon a time n HUNGARIAN