Auspicious Week

The Seventh Assembly of the League of Nations convened at Geneva last week and voted Germany within the League, but not until the minor nations concerned had protested the steam roller tactics of the great powers. The delegates continued amicably-minded while they elected Foreign Minister Nintchitch of Jugoslavia President of the Assembly but contention ensued thereafter. When Vice President Motta of Switzerland arose and moved the program, adopted by the League Council (TIME, Sept. 13), for the admission of Germany to the League, the resentment of the minor nations became sharply crystallized.

Protests. Dr. Fridtjof Nansen, famed Norwegian explorer, virile and impressive Viking, leaped to his feet and declared that he could not even hear the words of President Nintchitch from where the Norwegian delegation was seated near the back of the hall: "I demand a written statement of the proposals which are being moved and debated. ... It is proposed that the Council be enlarged by three semipermanent seats at the same time that Germany is admitted to a new permanent seat. I deplore the creation of semi-permanent seats for the aggrandizement of the larger powers over the smaller nations. . . . This is a great price to pay for a compromise among the powers on the admission of Germany."

After similar speeches of restrained but vigorous protest by Dr. Unden of Sweden, Jonkheer J. Loudon of the Netherlands and others, an oral vote was called.

"Aye! yes! oui!" One of the first to respond as the alphabetical roll was called was the Australian delegate who shouted a cheery "Aye!" It was explained to the French tellers who understood only English English that "aye" meant "yes." Forthwith the voting proceeded with naught heard but "yes" or "oui" At the 48th affirmative President Nintchitch announced that Germany had been unanimously elected to membership in the League of Nations and to a permanent seat on the League Council.

Before Secretary General Sir Eric Drummond of the League could telegraph the news to Berlin, thousands of German radio fans had already heard the momentous words of M. Nintchitch as they were broadcast. Forthwith the German delegation headed by Foreign Minister Stresemann and Count von Bernstorff left Berlin for Geneva in three special cars attached to three separate trains. Thus the extravagance of a special train and engine was prudently avoided.

Sensible words. As Herr Stresemann strode into the Assembly at the head of the German delegation a cheer went up from Mrs. Woodrow Wilson, Ignace Jan Paderewski, Senator Claude Swanson, and many another who sweltered in the gallery. Replying to the formal greeting of President Nintchitch, Herr Stresemann mounted the Tribune, mopped his pinkly bald head, planted his legs firmly, joined his hands somewhat nervously behind his back, launched into a sound and sensible discourse in German:

"Today Germany enters the circle of States to some of which she has been attached by untroubled ties of friendship whereas others were allied against her during the Great War. It surely is an event of historical importance that Germany and these latter States are now brought together within the League of Nations for permanent and pacific cooperation. . . .

"The Divine Architect of the World has not created mankind as a homogeneous whole. He has made nations of the different races. . . .

"But it cannot be the purpose of a divine world order that men should direct their supreme national energies against one another, thus ever thrusting back the general progress of civilization. ..."

Herr Stresemann's further words served to recall that the Locarno Pacts (TIME, pet. 26, 1925) come automatically into force with the admission of Germany to the League. Thus security has been guaranteed at last in Western Europe by a regional agreement of which the League is an integral part and which is specifically backed by Great Britain. As Herr Stresemann stepped from the Tribune a cheer rose, full-throated, pregnant with the hope of lasting peace.

Golden Words. As the Assembly quieted Aristide Briand, Foreign Minister of France, ascended theTribune. He it was who with Herr Stresemann and Sir Austen Chamberlain drafted and signed the pacts of Locarno. Radiant, triumphant, Latin, he sent his great cello voice booming out over the Assembly. Time and again he turned to Herr Stresemann with outstretched hand and spoke to him as though to the whole German people. Tears and laughter welled from the Assembly and galleries at his will. Sir Philip Gibbs, no unsophisticated news-gatherer, pronounced the great oration of M. Briand last week the finest he had ever heard.

M. Briand cried:

"Away with rifles, machine guns and cannon! Make way for peace!

"Gentlemen, today means peace. Germany and France are here to say: 'C'est fini!' (It is finished!) The series of bloody wars with which all the pages of our history are stained--that is finished. The war between Germany and France --finished! No more wars between us. No more brutal efforts to settle our differences. . . . Henceforth it is the judge who will decide. We are going before the courts to settle our troubles.

"As the crow flies, Locarno is not far from Geneva, but the road has not been an easy one. If it is true that faith moves mountains Dr. Stresemann and I are glad that there were not any more mountains between Locarno and Geneva.

"The fact that you Germans and we French are now here together in this Assembly speaking the same words of optimism, does not mean that all of our differences have been removed. Both Dr Stresemann and myself know what they are. But now we shall confront them in a new spirit which guarantees us against another conflict. . . .

"If, as Dr. Stresemann says there is a divine plan in which war has no place, he must admit that in the past this sometimes has been lost sight of. Let us hope that the divine plan will now be carried out,

"Arbitrage--that word has nov all its prestige and all its force Treaties of arbitration follow one another. One people after another promises not to fight any more.

"That is the spirit which the League of Nations is spreading and that is why peoples should aid and protect the League.

"With the League, peace. Without the League, risks of bloody war.

"Today should be marked with a white stone on history's path. The words of conciliation which France and Germany have exchanged in equal sincerity should always be marked with this white stone Never will France seek to change its color."

Significance. Throughout Germany the golden oratory of M. Briand was accepted only at a heavy discount. "If M. Briand's words are consummated by the acts of M. Poincare," said the Lokal Anzeiger of Berlin sarcastically, "we will applaud most heartily."

Even at that moment arch militarist, Premier Poincare, was pruning the French army with a drastic knife (see p. 12), but suspicion and ill-will lingered deep-rooted in French and German hearts.

The stride taken between Locarno and Geneva is after all only the first step on the road to lasting peace.

Spain Out. Dictator Premier Primo de Rivera waited only until Germany was within the League to file notice that Spain will withdraw from the League after the two year interval provided in the

League Covenant. The Spanish notice of withdrawal received at Geneva last week, was conciliatory in tone but made clear that Spain would not remain with the League unless granted a permanent Council Seat on an equality with Germany. Up to last week it had been hoped that Spain would accept one of the new semi-permanent seats. The two year interval which must elapse before Spain's actual withdrawal from the League still gives hope that she may eventually accept this compromise.

Not yet. The Assembly voted last week not to attempt to hold a League Disarmament Conference this year, since the preparatory disarmament committees (TIME, May 24 et seq.) are still contentiously striving to arrange the preliminary details of classifying armaments and collecting data. The committees will continue their work and report again at the next session of the League.