Jasper County Democrat, Volume 23, Number 77, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 December 1920 — THE LEAGUE ADJOURNS [ARTICLE]

THE LEAGUE ADJOURNS

The first meeting of the assembly and council of the league of nations came to an end Saturday night. , “We have," said President Hymans, “tried a great experiment, and we have succeeded.” He thought that the league had shown wisdom in “refraining from amending the covenant of the league of nations at this time.” “The great work for the future activities of the assembly," he further said, “is the constitution of the international court.” There was a clash between the assembly and -the council over the question of mandates. The leading disputants were Lord Robert Cecil and Mr. Balfour, the former representing South Africa. It was insisted by the former that the council was exercising dictatorial powers as against the assembly, which was have the fullest information as to the action of the council —in this case, with reference to mandates. This is a matter that will have to be adjusted. As far as mandates are concerned, there should be the widest publicity, since the mandatory is responsible to the league, and the

league is responsible to the various governments. Certain it is that no mandatory should make a profit out of its trusL in Mesopotamia, or anywhere else. There can be no doubt that the league has made a great Impression on the consciousness and conscience of the world. When it is remembered that those who opposed It .were sure that it would break up in a row, the mere fact that it survived its first meeting is of considerable importance. But it showed positive strength, and those who participated in this first meeting are clearly of the opinion that the organization will prove tp be most useful, and a great power for good. It has more members than It had when the meeting began, some of them enemy powers —which is as it should be. Indeed, membership seems to be prized everywhere except in the United States. Doubtless this country will be a member when the next meeting takes place. It is becoming increasingly apparent that we cannot maintain our policy of Isolation, and ought not to wish to do so. —Indianapolis News.