| Show IJ Ih LEAGUE AGUE OF 01 NATIONS A AT WORK I II I By Dy Frederic rederic J J. J Haskin I I I If the thie league of nations is suc sue I I I I I I I I I in settling the perplexing I I problems ms which have arisen out of or orthe I I the the N Near ar Eastern situation as seems I I Inot I not this service will constitute con con- I the first one of world significance I I cance cauce undertaken and accomplished I I by that body The league has been 1 I so much the tile subject of partisan discussion discussion dis dis- disI I I in n the United States Stales that Itis it itis 1 is sometimes difficult for the American Ameri Amen I can people to think of it as a going I concern When the treaty of Versailles Ver Ver- VerI I sallIes sailles was Jas up for ratification In the time I senate senaLe the league of nations was I the principal one hone of contention It resulted in the time defeat of the I treaty and alid the American people I have dropped quite naturally into I the the- habit of thinking that because I the United States Stales repudiated tile the I league Iague there Is no league I This Is quite contrary to fact The rhe I league of nations is in business and w 5 f r. r I li al ai affairs affairs Tr True it It lias has I s 's no no official t l lH business siness V with h the tho U r p I cause this country is not a member I lint but many other countries are and there is is' is plenty for the organization I to todo do The Turkish controversy furnishes furnishes furn turn I I- I an opportunity to p perform a really big task if it is capable but I the the years between the present crisis I and the first establishment of the ie league gue have not been idle Th The principal pub publicity which the league of nations has enjoyed on bu this side of the water in the la last t LW two or three y years ars has been in connection with wilh conferences most of which have Ilave been abortive The great gatherings at Brussels and Genoa enoa I have tave been partially under the auspices ces o of th the league These have failed failed fail fail- failed ed lo to accomplish definite objectives Meantime l however the league has been Jeen plugging plugging away at it r routine e jobs and has hs been acc accomplishing th them m. m Little publicity has attended these these exploits because they were forthe for the most ost part of ot local interest The purpose of the league I is to to- prevent international disputes from froin simmering over a period of years ears and eventually developing Into war var Following is a brief outline ot of what has IJ been en actually done in in ina a a quiet lui t. t and und b businesslike way in th the thO o last two or three years ears I What hat hut Has us Keen leen Done lon The rime province of Upper Silesia pre pre- problems of or a vexed vexed nature because 1 e o of conflicting alms of f various vari van Otis ous races and nationalities residing within its borders anc and amid especially aU because of the rich n natural ural products o of the land The rhe lea league ue has ims taken up this question and in a series of conferences has settled practically all the disputed points A few minor minol mailers fe remain under I I consideration n but are are meil in a a. a fair fall Wll way to to In settlement Lithuania Ul ll lia and amid soon after their theli erection as nations got into a boundary dispute te and e each challenged ed tl the of the other over certain certain territory The Time league ha has been Jeen rit at w r on this this this' and reports substantial fal progress progress hostile hostile- ns l having ceased Albania Albani com complained t to th tub the league that at tile the Serb Croat state stale y Serbia was encroaching on her boundaries This negotiation has been In progress for some time timex x IL commission sion of inquiry na nas bern at work vork and a program is being v worked work worl er ed out for the settlement of the dis dis- Meantime hostilities have havo ceased and the tho parties have given evidence ev ev- of fit being willing to 0 await the decision of oC the league The Tho first case to lo bo be com and amicably settled by the league 13 that r relating lating to the Aaland Island These islands local located d In lu waters are arc of great strategic 1 lin por OI ance and the league undertook ook a negotiation providing for th an and L It t 5 will be Je rem remembered mb red non lI that the i S laud o of HC I time tile gie great Gorn i na al base which was not c even ce e n scratched during luring tb tl war var Was Wa regarded re- re gar e by y the allies aIlles as so g grim a threat that thai the treaty of provided for Cor its demolition n. n Th 8 Aaland islands occupied a Similar strategic position Sweden had th control of them and nd the tho league I un Un to remove the tIle menace I It ItI u I succeeded in III arra arranging a convention which has been finally ratified by t th principal European powers aim aM which is in effect an agreement fo for the non lion of or the islands r. r The league J has as had under lion tiou the problem of Armenia a and ol of l resolving the the mixed s Of at that troubled section j fIle new troubles in the Near East gast have em ei these transactions ly Jy but it is expected that thiat league gets into the whole Near astern 1 question ues tion the Armenia matler mat fiat l Let ler r can be worked out in conjunction clIon with the Turkish question New Xe Questions Taken U Up UpA A new question taken up by th league comparatively recently rela relates tes to eastern Galicia Th The league has Invited the attention of the powers to tho the importance ol or sealing settling the status stains or tilts this territory and antI plans are afoot to hold confer confer- conferences conferences on the question 5 Another new question now In process pro cess of diplomatic negotiations relates re re- lates hates to the province or Eastern Carella l Finland inland feels mat soviet Russia has been on her sovereignty in iii Eastern Carella anthe ana anc the matter has been referred to th the league The Baltic states Latvia Lithuania Esthonia and Poland have nationalistic interest in thi this region and are having a voice In the thO settlement The league of l nations has been beCa continuously concerned with tin the government of tile the Sa r 1 basin am and alit has been proceeding with administrative adminis work of a wide variety in in in- eluding the affairs of oC the Free City o of 01 Danzig protection of j jud and ud the nry A great technical organization has been functioning steadily gath gathering gathering gathering ering and studying statistics of th the various nations of the world These Thes include finance tranI naY nav nay nay- hydroelectric development and and- other power na navigation of th thair theair the theair air and a score of other subjects The other othel great international body which the treaty of ot Versatile Versailles 3 created is the International labor of of- of lice flee This is not an adjunct of or time the league of nations but a bOd body maintaining a large staff stal a at Geneva With h branch offices throughout through through- throughout out the world The United States State not hot having ratified the treaty neaty Is nc not nota a member but the United States I Iso is 13 isso so important industrially that th theoffice the theoffice office maintains an American merican corre- corre correspondent Ernest Greenwood who whose he headquarters headquarters ers are in Washington The International labor office seeks seek to improve the condition of labor labo throughout ut the he world and to to th t a t end ond already a ady has obtained the rail raU rat rat- b by signatory members c of oC the following ng conventions R Regulation of use uso of white w vh phosphorus phot- phot S s which is dangerous t to toil il health alth of nia match workers standard zau n of qt- f hours s of lanor moor lunor of or women night york work child labor and I lh the B. B re regulation ul tion of of or WO ln before dad and after childbirth The office is working on agreements agreement agree agree- agreements ments ment a affecting various other mat mai matteIs matteI's teIs teI's vital to laboring people chie chief among 1 lOng which are unemployment redi minimum age of employment rocity of treatment of or workers c of different nations control of or anthrax lea lead poisoning vital statistics en CU Jill Jill- ien for seamen a seamen's code rights rIghts' of workers to associate w weekly h cl periods of rest for wor I and v various types or insurance fo for Cor forthe I the working classes I The holds annual convention I and at each progress has nas been re standardize standard ported It is hoped to I throughout the world the conditions condition of ot labor muon in in various important Indus IndusI I ries vies bringing the the condition of thO worker to a i higher plane of oC- the the tile labor Both league and lice flee are subsidized by me nations ns hi aU amid which have signed me rae treaty both give every indication O of Mini Minion bas basis s. s on a firm and permanent Whether either will assist in lii pre venting war is a matter of which there is- is wide diff difference lenCe opinion but it generally is concede that t these bodies perform a in function in iii assembling Important toi and Improving conditions of oC life lifo In the time countries which filiP port their efforts |
