Evening star., 1932-09-18
BY ALBIN z. JOHNSON.

annual Assembly OF the League
r of Nations opens on Monday,
~ September 26, the delegates of
81 member nations, which are
expected to attend, will find their
Geneva organization for international
cooperation staggering under mass
Of problems such as it has never before
faced. Wien the twelfth assembly was
adjourned many delegations left Gene
va with considerable trepidation. With
"Manchuria" and disarmament" be-
fore 1t they realized the League had
difficult year ahead. But even the
most pessimistic and superstitious
among European statesmen did not
then envisage q situation such as has
risen, or one fraught with so many
dangers and embarrassmentS. Since
tnen two extraordinary assemblies and
the Council in session almost con-
tinuously have vainly sought, with the
active collaboration Of the United
States, to lessen the tension between
Japan and China. An international
League commission. upon which an
American is serving, has spent six
months conducting an inquiry ION the
spot" and in China and Japan. And
yet the Manchurian problem is just
now nearing its crucial stage.
AS to disarmament the pot has
bubbled furiously from February to
July, with premiers, foreign ministers,
cabinet officials, generals, admirals and
lobbyists at hand to help prepare the
soup. Never since the League was
founded has there been such a galaxy
Of international officialdom partici-
pating in a Geneva conference. Yet
on disarmament practically nothing has
been accomplished. If anything. the
problem has become more complicated
for the assembly, whose task it will be
to attempt to cut the Gordian knot,
or to admit failure-which is un-
thinkable.
Sino-Japanese Problem
OF the multitudinous problems which
confront the Assembly, obviously the
most mportant-politically- the Sino-
japanese controversy. The Lytton re-
port, upon which so much hinges, will
not be ready for several weeks yet.
although the committee is in Geneva
editing its 1,000-page document. The
Thirteenth Assembly may not even have
to touch upon the question. Instead, 1t
may transform itself into an "Extraor-
dinary Assembly Immediately upon ad-
journment to receive the Lytton find
ings and to formulate future policy in
regard to Japan. AS in the press, the
Leagues deliberations will be compli-
cated-if not actually handicapped
by the fact that the vital interests OF
two jor non-League countries. Russia
and the United States, are involved
Washington has been working hand
in glove" with the League Council and
there is no reason to believe the team
work will not continue until Man
churia again Is restored to China. 1t
is more difficult TO predict what course
Russia will follow, unless. perforce.
Moscow believes she can gain American
recognition as reward for joining the
powers in presenting a solid front
against Japan's aggression. The BRAND
kellogg pac. end the nine-power
treaty. both of which have been vio-
lated by Japan, are also factors to be
considered.
AS If providing an interesting side
show to the Sino-Japanese row. for the
benefit of the Assembly, Paraguay and
Bolivia. the Leagues two naughty
Latin-American members. have again
come to blows over the Chaco. A lin
tied South American war" is not dan
gerous in so far as disturbing world
peace is concerned, but the Haunting
Of covenant ard outlawry of war
pledges has an important psychological
effect on the Geneva atmosphere and
Locarno spirit"
Mussolini down in Rome. isn't doing
anything to make the Leagues lot
easier II Duce. with his f1re-eating
minister OF air. Italo Balbo, an able
second, is gleefrlly rocking the boat
these DAYS. Discarding the role of dis
armament disciple. which Italy played
under Dino Grandi's leadership the
past Is months, Mussolini has again
taken over direction of foreign affairs
and is glorifying war as 'tthe crucibis
in which the best in nations is forged"
italian No Surprise.
European statesmen have never ex-
pected anything really constructive out
Of the Fascist Government. so Mus
solini's singular lack of the Macchiavel-
ian cleverness he seeks to simulate does
not surprise them Italy's diplomatic
transparent to fool even the American
State Department. France and Eng
land pushed the Fascists out of the pic
ture at Lausanne. which caused Mus
solini. in fit of rage, to fire half his So
called cabinet Then Ambassador Hugh
Gibson, in the closing sessions OF the
Disarmament Conference, turned cold
shoulder on Romes offer of unreserved
support. and Gen. Balbo promptly de-
nounced Washington as member Of
the Geneva trust" who worked hand
in hand with the Franco-British hege-
mony. although operating behind the
1t may be, has some element Of truth.
Italy's threat to quit the League is not
taken very Seriously-aS yet-neither Is
Fascist swashbuckling helping matters
any. politically speaking.
Germany. Of all European nations,
which should know better, Is again
manifesting a reerudescence of that
lied the conduct Of her international
policies during the war; Her capital
1zation of disarmament as a means of
attaining domestic political ends of
questionable value has already brought
about q re-cementing of the Anglo
French entente and is alternating the
support Of neutral and smaller coun-
tries upon which Berlin could hereto
fore count. Coming at q moment when
the League had coaxed Washington and
Moscow into the concert of Geneva"
and when chances for tightening the
SIS 900, 900 900 annual armament burden
which the worlds taxpayers are carry
ing were improving, BerllnS demand
for the right to re-arm cannot help but
greatly retard the success of the Dis
armament Conference.
Opportunity for Politics
That much-abused and over-rated
reform (disarmament) has furnished
more opportunities for playing politics
than any other issue sponsored by the
League Germany uses 1t to undermine
the Versailles treaty, which is already
as full Of holes as a Swiss cheese; Russia
cites 1t as proof of her charges Of
League insincerity; Italy sees in it a
means of increasing her military
strength and prestige at the expense Of
her imaginary enemy, France, and even
Washington-or at least Senator Borah
mikes it up with cancellation of war
debts and economic recovery.
If the assembly can only regain q
true perspective on disarmament and
put the problem before the nations of
the world in its original form, it will
have accomplished great task.