Elephant White

"Unless we move into our new building now," excitedly declared wealthy League of Nations Secretary General Joseph Avenol last week, "the architects and contractors who are so far behind schedule may never finish it!"

Thereupon, with a fine show of League spirit, the lady and gentleman secretaries from 58 nations followed their French Secretary General into what is to be the $10,000,000 League of Nations Centre. Through gusty, dusty corridors reeking with fresh paint and plaster, the Secretary General & Secretariat threaded their way among Swiss carpenters who eyed them with disfavor.

Because the U. S. dollar has been cut 40% while the Swiss franc has not, $2,000,000 given by John D. Rockefeller Jr. to build the League library has shrunk in Swiss purchasing power to $1,200,000. Last week Leaguophiles wailed, "If Mr. Rockefeller does not make up the difference, our library really may never be finished!"

So big is the projected Rockefeller library that decision to build it forced the League of Nations far out into Geneva's inconvenient suburbs. The town's jangling "Toonerville Trolley" line was to have been extended out to the $10,000,000 League Palace, but last week tight-fisted Geneva burghers snorted: "The municipality has no funds for such a purpose!"

Despite all these headaches, the League Palace, glimpsed from a passing airplane, already makes a fine display with its great cement masses of elephant white.

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