Evening star., 1933-01-15
ARGENTINA is PREPARING.
TO JOIN NATIONS LEAGUE
Held Ambiguous Position-Withdrew
Delegate and Since Has Sent Unoffi-
cial Observer to Geneva. I

American governments, probably moved
by desire to profit automatically from
the privileges of League membership =
and by their own failure to find other
outlets for the solution of their feuds.
turned again toward rapprochement :
with Geneva. -
Intentions Changedt
This time they returned with differ
ent intentions. They had learned their %
lesson. Two years ago, before the
Leagues annual Assembly opened in
Geneva, all the Latin American dele
gates got together and established a
regional bloc for the exercising Of Joint
action. Alone. they had been disre-
position to make their influence felt to :
a certain extent.
In union there is strength. Soon
after the announcement of this peace
alliance" among the Latin American
representatives, the League Council
elected three Latin American judges to
be members of the permanent tribunal !
of the World Court. They were Sanchez
de Bustamente, from Cuba: Guerrero.
from Salvador, and Urrutia, from Co
lcmbia
In the meantime. as the prestige Of
Latin America gained in Geneva, r
sudden interest developed among the 3
Leagues directors to cultivate and in-.s
crease the good will Of the Latin Amer
ican governments. 1t was undoubtedly
with this in mind that the Leagues
Council acted with promptness in the.
case of armed clashes between Bolivia
and Paraguay. For several months now
it has been cooperating with the Z
commission of neutrals trying to reach .
IN Washington solution Of the Chaco
conflict.
Sir Eric's Trip Significant. =
Another-and very eloquent-proof
of the awakened interest Of Geneva for
Latin America was the personal tour =
in which Sir Eric Drummond, secretary
general of the League, was sent through ..
some of the most important Latin
American capitals
When the Leagues high executive
undertook that long journey through
the Latin republics, and gave it fun
publicity, 1t was easily realized that he z
was seeking something else than a.
glance at the natural beauties and9
countries Editorial opinion through
out the continent Immediately recog-sy
nized behind Sir Eric's trip something
more than pleasure-seeking or mere
diplomatic courtesy.
As an ambassador Of good will, Sir
Eric accomplished his mission. He was
welcomed with the most exquisite re- .
finements of traditional Latin hospital
ity. He heard everywhere phrases Of
laudatory encouragement for the
Leagues work He received bouquets
of flowers and shining decorations.
Above everything, he left the impress
sion that the League was at last con-
sidering seriously the position OF Latin
America in international affairs.
The elimination of the Leagues ef-
forts to attract Latin America came
soon after Sir Eric's trip when the
Council, by unanimous vote, invited
Mexico to become member. In ex---
tending the invitation. the Council sent
along an "amende honorable" a Dip
lonatic apology to Mexico for the
country was eliminated from the list 4.
of founder members.
Mexican Stand Hailed.
| Mexico's entrance to the League,
and the strong reservation she made
upon joining against article 10 OF the
covenant, which recognizes the Monroe
Doctrine as regional understanding,
were hailed throughout Latin An1ertca
as conclusive proof of that continents
growing prestige in Geneva.
Just as Mexican adherence was pre-
ceded by Sir Eric Drummond's Latin
American tour, the return of Argentina
will have been preceded by the good
will visit to South America of another
officer Of the League. ,Senor Carlos
Garcia Palacios of the secretariat Of
the League is at present travelling in
the South ION a mission to strengthen
the ties between Geneva and Latin
America" Last month he was in SAM
tiago, Chile. where he had gone. he
said, ito congratulate President Ales-s
sandri on behalf of the League secre- !,
tariat upon his Inauguration"
Besides stressing once more the po-H
litical interest Of the League for the.
Latin American countries, Senor CAR
cia Palacios added that the League
contemplates drastic reduction in the
expense assessments of the smaller ma
tions, which have felt the economic dess
preston more than others. This an
nouncement, obviously, has been favor
ably received by the Latin Americans.
It seems very appropriate one in the
present endeavors Of Geneva to promote
closer connections with the New World.
All this Irritation with Latin America,
and the corresponding increase Of Latin
American prestige IN Geneva, Is, Of
course, booming the name Of the League
in that part Of the world Is 1t not q
pity that, at such a propitious time. the
japanese conquerors of Manchuria,
should pop up and endanger the whole
business?
(Copyright, 1933)