(Jewish Telegraphic Agency)
The controversy between the Permanent Mandates Commission of the League of Nations and the Council of the League concerning the jurisdiction over the mandated territories was taken up today when the Mandates Commission went into session.
Marquis Theodoli, representative of Italy, declared on behalf of all the members of the Commission that they support the attitude taken at the September session of the Commission by Mr. Van Rees of Holland.
In a lively discussion which developed on the subject, Dr. William Rappard, Frere d’Andrade and Marquis Theodoli emphasized the opinion that the Permanent Mandates Commission is independent of the Council of the League of Nations in its right to submit a list of questions to the mandatory governments. Mr. Van Rees emphasized that concerning the hearing of petitioners, the other matter which gave rise to the controversy, only in exceptional cases will the petitioners be given a hearing by the Commission. The next move expected in the controversy will be on the part of the Mandatory governments, who will make clear their attitude in the matter.
The differences between the Council of the League of Nations and the Permanent Mandates Commission concerning the rights and privileges of the Commission in relation to the Mandatory powers were taken up at the Sixth Commission of the Assembly of the League of Nations in September.
The controversy between the Commission and the Council grew out of the proposal of the Permanent Mandates Commission to direct a new questionnaire to the Mandatory Powers on the administration of the mandated territories and to be given the right of hearing petitioners from the mandated territories.
The controversy took the form of a clash between the representatives of the smaller states and the representatives of England and France, Sir Austin Chamberlain and Aristide Briand respectively. Charges of overstepping its authority were formulated against the Commission and counter charges were made by the spokesman of the Commission, M. Unden, representative of Sweden, who submitted the report of the Commission. Mr. Unden declared that the limitations imposed and asked by the representatives of France and England might render the work of the Commission ineffective.
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