Evening star., 1932-02-04
BY PAUL SCOTT MOWRER.

BY Gable to The Star.
GENEVA. Switzerland, February a
Something like rivalry has sprung up
between the League Of Nations and the
United States for leadership in the at
tempt TO re-establish peace in the Far
East. For the moment 1t is Washing
ton which prevails, while Geneva
weakly follows.
Whether Geneva, wishing TO regain
its lost prestige, will take advantage OF
its opportunities and assert the initia-
tive again within the next few days
remains to be seen. China's original
appeal was to the League. In some
quarters China was reproached for this.
1t was told that it should have appealed
first to Washington. However the
League promptly got in touch with the
United States and the United States
responded by cooperation with the
League
Theoretically there has been a GER
tain unity. Practically there have been
and still are two distinct sets OF nego-
tiationS-one centering at Geneva and
one at Washington.
To Japan's Advantage.
When the League wanted to go ahead
Washington appeared to hold back.
When Washington wanted to go ahead
the League appeared to hold back. Mis-
understandings, accusations, hurt feel
lngs and cross purposes have resulted,
which are felt in diplomatic circles to
be all to the advantage Of Japan and all
to the damage Of the cause of peace
nd Of h. xl.ta Of yt<N1I Ind taF
In order to understand the confused
development of The situation, it is use
full to bear in mind what may be called
the classic peace procedure of the
League Of Nations AS soon as an out
break occurs the Council enjoins the
two parties to cease fighting and to
withdraw their troops within their own
lines by fixed date establishes be-
tween them a neutral zone under neu-
trail surveillance, and sends an inquiry
commission to the spot
1t will be noted that this is almost
exactly what the great powers under
the leadership of the United States. are
now trying to do at Shanghai 1t is
commonly said that. if the Council had
courageously and firmly applied this
procedure in Manchuria in the very
beginning, war could probably have
l.
on the preteXt that Manchuria was an
entirely exceptional case and that the
United States would not be willing to
Join the full League procedure, the
Council has tried to apply the League
system only partially and peacemeal
Five Months Procedure
A brief review of the proposals and
events OF the last five months presents
curious picture. In September the
League told the parties to cease fighting
and withdraw their troops, and wanted
to send an inquiry commission, but the
United States objected.
In October the United States, in a
remarkable note, urged the League to
act and appointed an American OBJ
server to the Council. The Council again
told the parties to cease fighting and
withdraw their troops by fixed date
and appointed neutral observers on the
spot. The United States took the OBJ
server off the Council and privately crit
ictzed the fixing Of a date of with
drawal
At the November and December
Council meeting the United States got
Japan itself to propose an INQUIRY COM
mission and the Council adopted the
idea The League again told the par
ties to cease lighting and withdraw
their troops. but dropped the fixed date
and appointed an inquiry commission.
The League also tried to arrange
neutral zone with neutral observers at
Chinchow. But Japan objected, while
the United States and the Council dis
agreed regarding where the zone ought
to be delimited, SO the project failed.
Japan in the meanwhile completed her
conquest of Manchuria.
Shanghai Occupied.
The United States, without consult
ing the Council. sent strong note to
Toxic invoking the nine power treaty
The League powers, on the pretext that
they had not been consulted, failed to
support this American action. Japan
occupied Shanghai China again ap-
pealed to the Council, this time under
Articles X and XIV of the covenant
implying ultimate sanctions.
The Council improvised an Inquiry
Committee in Shanghai and invited the
United States to join. The United
States. which had joined the Leagues
Manchuria commission under Article
XI, refused to join the Leagues Shang-
hal commission under Articles x and
XIV, but agreed TO cooperate.
The United States urged Great