THE LEAGUE: Stall

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With small appetite for luncheon, the most puzzled statesmen in Europe gathered in the dining room of Geneva's Hotel Carlton Park last Monday noon. In theory they were there to attend the League of Nations Council, discuss 19 different subjects. Actually they were there to try to do something about the continuance of Sanctions against Italy, now that Benito Mussolini had thrust the conquest and annexa tion of Ethiopia under their noses as an accomplished fact (see p. 22).

The only person who seemed at all sure of himself was chipper Senor Rivas Vi cuna of Chile. "Well, I at least have my orders," said he. "Chile will vote to lift Sanctions as soon as the motion is offered, and I have been instructed to raise the question myself if the proper opportunity arises."

France's suave Joseph Paul-Boncour sat at one end of a long table, Britain's Anthony Eden at the other. Their lunch eon guests were the delegates of Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Spain, Switzerland, The Netherlands. Early last week this group of neutrals had gone to the dingy Hotel Richemond and into the bedroom of rawboned, learned Dr. Peter Munch, Foreign Minister of Denmark. To them Dr. Munch pointed out that the Sanctions question and the Rhineland occupation had a definite lesson. It was time for the small neutrals to stop being the witless tools of France and Britain. An agreement was promptly reached. At Monday's luncheon they wanted to know without equivocation what France and Britain were prepared to do before they committed themselves. Captain Eden and M. Paul-Boncour outdid each other hemming & hawing.

The Council meeting was scheduled for 5 o'clock. At 4:45 p. m. Belaten Guetta Wolde Mariam Ayelen, Ethiopia's League delegate, accompanied by his secretary and Swiss legal adviser, arrived at the Palace, went directly to the Council room. In a few minutes in walked Italy's Baron Pompeo Aloisi, Anthony Eden and other members of the Council. Captain Eden gravely presided.

Baron Aloisi rolled his eye at the little black man in the corner.

"I have the honor to state," he snapped, "that the Italian delegation cannot admit the presence at the Council table of the so-called Ethiopian delegation."

Anthony Eden banged on the table : "I invite the delegate from Ethiopia to take his place at the Council table for discussion of this question."

Wolde Mariam slipped into a chair, and Baron Aloisi puffed like a turkey:

"In effect no semblance of the Ethiopian State exists. The only sovereign Ethiopian government is that of Italy. In consequence all discussion on the subject of Italo-Ethiopian differences is without meaning. I therefore find myself under obligation not to participate."

Out of the room stalked Baron Pompeo Aloisi as Ethiopia's Mariam rose to read a pitiful telegram from nerve-shattered Haile Selassie, begging the League to "take no action that would legitimize Italy's outrageous aggression."