The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-12-22

SAAAN~S toned in the speech from th' British Parliament. Germany had then rendered her account at Mu- mich. The league had become one of the victims of Versailles.
 Within few months the post war structure erected on the peace treaties was destroyed. Austria, whose continued independence was the primary condition of the leagues financial aid, was annexed by the Third Reich. Czechoslovak- ia, another product of the war. was dismembered while the assem- bly, itself was in session.
 Munich was proof of the political importance of the league in the world of 1888. The political alignment of Europe was pro- foundly changed. The alliances of France and Czechoslovakia, and of the countries of the Little Entente (Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, Ru- mania) were smashed. Both were allied to the league covenant in that they were created to function if, when war broke upon the sig natories, the council machinery failed. The Czech "Maginot line,' ? and the strategic Territories of northwest Bohemia, passed into the hands of Germany. The Franco Russian pact was made practically impotert, and Russia forced into semi isolation. Most Fundamental of all, the built-up system of collective security was wrecked, and with it the hopes of the small powers.
 Leaguge Left Paralyzed
 Thus, 20 years after the Armis- tice, the league that is no longer a league to enforce the peace" is, at least temporarily. paralyzed oy events which have strapped three quarters of the peace treaties.
 Viewed in retrospect, the events of 1888 followed a logical sequence many league observers had pre- dicted, though no one, listening to Anthony Eden's reaffirmation of Great Britain's attachment to the league idea at the Tooth session of the council in January wouli have forecast their hghtning-likc rapid ity. The league in 1898 reaped to the full the bitter harvests sown in previous years.
 Confronted by the opposition of the Berlin -Rome-Tokio axis, Great Britain and France were not pre- pared to seek Soviet cooperation in transforming the league into a coalition against the totalitarians. The league marked time.
 In 1888, the last chapter was written to the story of the powers failure to use the league in the Ge- fense of Ethiopia.
 NeguS' Failure Dramatic
 Even the dramtic personal ap- pearance of the Negus was of no avail. The Conquering Lion of Ju- dah, who two years before had made an unforgettable appearance at a special assembly of the league in a vain attempt to prevent the abandonment of sanctions against Italy, sat immovable throughout the debate, pathetic and weary figure.
 In November, British and French ambassadors in Rome were accredited to the king-emperor: the Anglo-Italian agreement op- posed by Anthony Eden went into action; and the Ethiopian legation in London was removed from the list of foreign embassies and lega- tions. The legation personnel re- ceived in return an offer of British nationality.
 The sanctions action against Japan was the continuation of 8 series of assembly and council res- olutions, in 1887 and 1888, which expressed sympathy with China, s tr ongly condemned Japanese aerial bombardments and encour- aged league members to think of ways of helping China individual 1y. In effect, China received little help from league states except Russia, and to 8 much lesser ex- tent France.
 By the time the assembly, met in September, therefore, China had lost patience, and demanded, for the first time in league history, the immediate application of Article IT against Japan. The council, bound to comply with its terms, invited Japan to talk conciliation at the league. Japan refused. The council therefore met again and adopted a report which, after re- calling the Far Eastern Advisory Committees conclusions of the previous October that Japan's military operations" were illegal and contrary to the Nine Power Treaty, said that Japan's refusal of the councils invitation meant that the provisions of Article 16- sanctions-were, under Article 1T,