Evening star., 1933-01-15
BY GASTON NERvAL.

A RGENTINA will soon be back In
~ Geneva. Constitutional formal-
~ ties to insure the return of the
4 \ largest Spanish-American state
to the League of Nations are
being completed by the Buenos Aires
government. Several weeks ago, the
Argentine Chamber of Deputies ap-
proved, by a substantial majority, bill
authorizing the executive to take such
steps The senate, likewise, is expected
to pass upon the act of adhesion.
Thus, Argentina, which has had one
foot in the League Of Nations for IL
years without being legal member" Is
preparing to go in by the front door and
take a seat with the other countries
at Geneva.
For the past IL years, Argentina has
been in an ambiguous position as re-
CARDS the League. When the covenant
was first drawn and Argentina invited
to join, President Irigoyen did so by
decree, without consulting congress. He
sent a delegation headed by Honorio
Pueyrredon, later Ambassador to Wash
ington Soon thereafter, however, he
abruptly ordered the withdrawal of the
Argentine delegate, because the League
refused to admit Germany and the
Central European powers to membership
On an equal footing with the former
allies.
Maintained Observer.
In 1923 President Alvear asked Con-
gress to approve Argentine adhesion,
but the measure died in committee.
Since then, Argentina has sent repre-
sentatives or observers to most meetings
Of the League and its principal commits
sions, but only in an unofficial capacity
In 1928 congress authorized President
Alvear to pay Argentina's League dues
up to that year.
Besides, the Argentina government
has, in all that time, registered with the
League international treaties, partici-
pated in many League activities and has
been considered generally by the League
| itself as member, from an interna-
tional viewpoint. But juridically,
from an internal constitutional View
point, the Southern republic has never
been one.
| Argentinas formal adhesion, this
time, will considerably strengthen the
| Leagues prestige in Latin America. 1t
| is true that Mexico, which joined only
| in 1881, has lately announced its With
| drawal, but the Mexican government
advances simply financial reasons,
claiming that it cannot afford to keep
up League dues. The Mexican govern
ment does not question the power or
efficiency of the League, which only a
year and half ago it joined with great
enthusiasm.
League Undergoes Test.
In Latin America, more than any,
where else. the League of Nations has
gene through real test. 1t is inter-
esting to note the different attitudes
which in succession have prevailed in
the Latin American public mind toward
the League.
The original reaction, when the
League first appeared, was a frankly
optimistic one. With the exception of
Mexico-where a revolutionary govern
ment was in control, and this, not
having been recognized by the United
States and other powers, was not in
vited to be a founder member-all the
other Latin American republics readily
| joined the League.
| They had been told that this inter-
national gathering was to be the ma
terialization of the long-dreamed-of
ideals of equality. And that each ma
ton. the smallest as well as the largest,
would have the same right to speak
and to speak loud Nearly all of them
had claims to adjust and controversies
to be settled with their neighbors Who,
better than this council of world pow
ers, could deal with those differences? ?
Who could offer a better guaranty of
impartiality, fairness and more effec-
tice means to carry out justice?
Thus, believing that the long-heralded
equality of nations was to have reali-
zation in the League, and that here
was an opportunity to ventilate some of
their old controversies, the Latin repub-
hes joined the League eagerly, expecting
to sit side by side with the great
powers.
Ideals Shattered.
They soon began to realize, however,
that ideals were still but ideals, and
that in the twentieth century force and
material supremacy still seemed to be
| the last word In international relations.
Devoted entirely to their own European
| imbroglios, the big powers paid little
attention to their young Latin American
sisters.
The disappointment of the Latin
Americans grew rapidly with the failure
of the League to handle properly some
Latin American problems. Finally Ar
gentina, Peru, Bolivia, Costa Rica and
Brazil withdrew their delegations on
various grounds. Unaware of their pos
sible combined value, the League did
not show much concern when they
| parted from her. Consequently, period
of GOODNESS and lack of interest for the
League prevailed for several years south
of the Rio Grande.
In recent years, however, the Latin