Eagle, Lion, Bear

Spanish wit and Spanish gallantry helped the Geneva Disarmament Conference, which needed help last week.

Things had become a trifle grim when the Conference voted down (52 to 2) a proposal for total disarmament of all nations, made by Russia. There was a bad taste in everyone's mouth, left by the studied irony of Russia's Maxim Litvinov when he said: "I must apologize for suggesting once again that there be total disarmament, but where should this proposal be made if not to this disarmament conference?"

A good British answer to this would be: "My dear old chap, I suppose you know you're talking rubbish!" But Chief British Delegate Sir John Simon was not in good form at the moment. Instead up rose charming Senor Salvador de Madariaga, the Spanish Chief Delegate. Sure of the ovation he was about to receive, he asked: ''May I tell a story of how the animals met to discuss disarmament?"

The men and women who had met for that purpose nodded encouragement so he began:

''When the animals met to discuss disarmament the Lion looked the Eagle in the eye and said: 'We must abolish talons.'

"The Eagle looked squarely back into the Lion's eyes and said: 'We must abolish claws.'

"Then the Bear said, 'Let's abolish everything except universal embraces!'

With a good taste in everyone's mouth now that Russia had been deftly disposed of, the Delegates voted:

To adopt the League of Nations Draft Proposal for a Disarmament Conference as the basis of their future efforts, but with emendations proposable by any or all of the 57 nations.

To appoint five subcommittees of 55 delegates each, which will meet in secret, reporting from time to time in public to the Conference.

Slightly intoxicated by the success of his animal story, Spain's Chief Delegate now seriously proposed to enlarge the Conference by admitting on an equal footing with the accredited representatives of 57 sovereign states the numerous women who represented in Geneva last week a very large number of peace societies.

To these women Senor de Madariaga promptly become Hero of the Hour. Promptly Sir John Simon and Chief U. S. Delegate Hugh Gibson went into action, tearing the gallant Spaniard's proposal to tatters, forcing the Conference Steering Committee to rule against him and to rule the miscellaneous women out.

This victory was somewhat too complete. Within a few hours Mr. Gibson and Sir John were hot & bothered. They had to explain that of course they had not tried to exclude from the Conference the four Delegates who are female, Dr. Mary E. Woolley of the U. S., Miss M. Winifred Kydd of Canada, Mrs. Corbett Ashby of Britain and Mile Anne Szelagowska of Poland.

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