THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS: Laurel Leaves

The Council of the League of Nations, sitting at Brussels, Belgian capital, had a busy and significant week. Before it, appeared Fethi Bey, Turkish representative, and Lord Parmoor, Lord President of the Council, British representative, pledged to accept the decision of the Council on Turko-British dispute over the Irak-Turkish boundary (TIME, Oct. 27).

The crux of the trouble between Britain and Turkey has been that each has a different idea as to where the boundary line should be situate. This led to no mere equivocation. Angry words and angry deeds resulted; land was occupied by both sides, not without bloodshed. War was in the air; but, fortunately, sane counsel prevailed; and the two Nations placed their problem unreservedly before the League for its solution.

Hjalmar Branting, once more Premier of Sweden (TIME, Oct. 27), was the “big man” at Brussels last week. Mainly through his work, a compromise solution was quickly arrived at; and away into space scurried all the dark war clouds.

The decision of the Council was that the line described in the Lausanne Treaty should be recognized by both parties. Exceptions were made: three times the line dipped south in favor of Turkey; three times it bulged north in favor of Irak, whose mandatory guardian is Britain. The British received most territory; and the concessions granted to Turkey were regarded as useless. Turkey, however, won a big point; for she established her right over a tract of land that Britain had emphatically labeled “No Man’s Land.”

Many U. S. journals ignorantly write about Britain’s oil interests in Mosul and lead their readers to suppose that the recent controversy was in reality over oil. This is a misconception. The settlement reached had to do only with the frontier. The question of whether the Mosul and its rich oil district is, or is not, to revert to Turkish sovereignty has yet to be decided by the League.

The Council also settled amicably the dispute between Turkey and Greece over the exchange of population (TIME, Sept. 22). The Mixed Commission, which controls the exchange of population between the two Nations, was asked to meet; and both Powers agreed to recognize and submit to its authority to deal with the question. The Permanent Court of International Justice at The Hague is to settle any future disagreements.

The Council then adjourned, conscious that it had added two leaves of laurel to its ever-sprouting crown. The next meeting will take place at Rome on Dec. 8.