INTERNATIONAL: World Waltz

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Cabinet, the Army and Foreign Minister Baron Shidehara saw only two things: first, Mr. Stimson had coupled "pressure"' and "regulate" with the sovereign name of Japan; second, he had betrayed surprising eagerness to sit in on the Council just this once, presumably to help coerce Japan.

With dignity and logic, stogie-smoking Japanese Delegate Kenkichi Yoshizawa told the League Council that Japan would welcome permanent seating of the U. S. on the Council (i. e. acceptance by the U. S. of membership in the League); but that Japan would unalterably oppose the seating of the U. S. just once, clearly to the detriment of Japan.

From the Council chair, shaggy old Brer Briand overruled Mr. Yoshizawa when the Japanese invoked the Council unanimity rule which holds for all major League acts in matters of principle. The act of inviting the U. S., M. Briand ruled, was a mere matter of League procedure, required only a simple majority. After three and a half hours of wrangling about this, the Master Parliamentarian observed:

"If there is no objection, we are agreed to send an invitation to the United States."

Mr. Yoshizawa: "I still object!"

Chairman Briand: "Decided unanimously, excepting for one vote."

Puff, Puff, Puff. Since the U. S. and Japan were officially on friendly terms last week, Statesman Stimson might have soothed wounded Japanese amour propre by declining a Council seat, leaving the U. S. represented at Geneva as heretofore by an "observer." Thus he might have avoided a storm of accusations (sure to burst in Congress) that President Hoover was smuggling the U. S. into the League. But Statesman Stimson had authorized Consul General Prentiss Gilbert over the radio telephone to sit in Council if invited. That was final, the State Department said.

Consul Gilbert, earnest, moonfaced, phlegmatic, proceeded to sit at two deadly secret Council sessions from which Japan and China were excluded. Between the two sittings Japan's tiny Delegate Yoshizawa, puffing his huge cigar, rushed up to portly Mr. Gilbert, warmly grasped and pumped his hand. "Nothing personal, you know, my dear Mr. Gilbert," grinned Mr. Yoshizawa from ear to Japanese ear. "Eh, heh, my objection was on purely technical grounds!" (Puff, puff, puff.)

At the second secret Council sitting, the League took its first and only action last week respecting China & Japan: the Council resolved that its members should cable their governments asking the latter to cable to China and Japan a reminder that as signers of the Briand-Kellogg Pact they have renounced-war-as-an-instrument-of-national-policy.

Up to last week Statesman Stimson, custodian of the Pact by tacit world consent, had been accustomed to invoke it himself—as he did in the Sino-Russian crisis and was rebuffed by Russia (TIME. July 29, 1929). Last week Mr. Stimson duly received a cable from his own Consul Gilbert in Geneva asking him in the League's name to do what he would otherwise have done anyway: wire China and Japan invoking the Pact. In cheerful mood Statesman Stimson assured correspondents that he would do as the League asked, mentioned his "satisfaction."

Orient Reacts-Official China, pleased by U. S. Council sitting, rejoiced at League invocation of the Pact.