Greece Urges League to Put New Interpretation on Minorities Protection

(J. T. A. Mail Service)

The intention of the minorities treaties of the League of Nations is not to perpetuate the existence of the minorities as alien bodies in their own countries, M. Politis, authority on international law who represents Greece as Minister to France and at the League of Nations, urged in raising several questions of principle during the course of a discussion by the League’s Council on the Albanian complaint against the Greek Government.

The intention of the treaties, he said, is the exact opposite. He cited in support of his contention, the speeches delivered on the subject by Sir Austen Chamberlain and M. Mello Franco in December 1925, which had at the time roused the national minorities and their friends to protest.

M. Politis sharphy criticised the “philanthropists” who, although without any sinister intentions, are constantly advising the national minorities to appeal as often as possible to the League of Nations Council. He referred in this respect to the various societies and organizations, particularly the pacifist associations, which devote a great deal of attention to the minorities problem.

M. Politis urged the Council of the League of Nations to take steps to make it impossible for various countries to abuse Article 11, paragraph 2 of the League of Nations statutes by laying direct on the table of the Council complaints regarding minorities. According to the treaties, he said, only members of the Council are entitled to call the attention of the Council to transgressions of the decisions with regard to the minorities, No country had a right to interfere in the affairs of a neighboring country in order to defend its nationals in that country. He saw it as a grave menace to the peace of the world that certain countries were inciting their nationals living in other countries against their Governments.