In an atmosphere of great expectation and international interest, the Council of the League of Nations, today started the long awaited discussions on the problems of effectively enforcing the clauses in the international treaties for the protection of the racial, linguistic and religious minorities in the states created or enlarged following the world war.
Changes in the procedure for receiving, reviewing and acting upon the complaints of national minorities against the governments of the countries in which they reside were advocated by German Foreign Minister Stresemann and by Senator Raoul Dandurand of Canada. Stresemann submitted a proposal that the League Council appoint a committee to study the problem, which committee should be invested with authority and expert advice. The committee is to be charged to submit within a given period recommendations of principles for improving the lot of the national minorities. It will be on the basis of these recommendations that the Council is to make its final decision.
Herr Stresemann in his address gave a lengthy and detailed review of the treatment of the national minorities problem by the League of Nations and declared that the proposal submitted by Senator Dandurand deserves careful consideration.
Senator Dandurand in submitting his memorandum declared that he was moved to make the proposal for a change in the procedure because of his sense of justice and of duty toward the League.
The proposal submitted by Senator Dandurand was an amended text of his previous memorandum. The new text contained three revisions distinctly favorable to the minorities. It emphasized expressly the right of foreign organizations to submit petitions to the respective governments concerning the mistreatment of minorities. In emergency cases the petitions may be submitted to the League of Nations directly in order to hasten the procedure. The third revision called for assuring the public character of the procedure.
Some question arose as to the participation of the representative of the Lithuanian government in the session of the League Council devoted to the minorities problem. The matter was submitted to a committee of jurists, which rendered an opinion that Lithuania is not entitled to be admitted to the Council session. The Council itself has to formulate the decision, which is to be submitted to the respective governments as binding, the jurists’ committee declared.
Dr. Leon Motzkin of the Committee of Jewish Delegations in Paris arrived here several days ago in connection with the Council discussion on the minorities question.
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