Blackball? Blackmail?

Even the fat Swiss scrubwomen of the League of Nations were excited last week about Russia. As for M. Josef Avenol, the secretive, suspicious Frenchman who last year succeeded popular Sir Eric Drummond as League Secretary General, he became almost human. Secretary Avenol is a recluse who lives in a vast Geneva villa jammed with works of art and historical manuscripts he has picked up on his extensive travels. When Japan and then Germany quit the League, mournful M. Avenol prepared for the worst (TIME, Oct. 23). "The League has lost popularity and prestige," he croaked in one of his rare public statements, "and we know that the alternative is not between the League and a better system. It is between the League and chaos."

In his villa Pessimist Avenol settled down to wait for chaos. He was roused by French Foreign Minister Louis Barthou's project for an Eastern Locarno Pact in which was implicit the idea that Russia as a major signatory should enter the League (TIME, July 23). This week the League Council and Assembly will meet in Geneva and M. Avenol was aquiver with hope and expectation that the League will more than make up for its loss of Japan and Germany by gaining Soviet Russia.

Hostile to Russia entering the League were Canada, Belgium. Holland, Jugoslavia and Switzerland. Their leaders continued to bear in mind that Josef Stalin heads the one regime whose members are pledged, through the Third International, to destruction of Capitalist regimes throughout the world. For tactical reasons Dictator Stalin has slowed up for the present the drive of the Third International for "The World Revolution of the World Proletariat." He has not abandoned that great aim, pledges and repledges himself to it in addresses to the Russian people. But Britain, France and Italy, intent on nailing down the frontiers of Germany by an Eastern Locarno, want Russia in the League. They brought tremendous pressure on all Europe's little dissenters, even pulled wires in Latin America.

Mexico has no diplomatic relations with the Soviet Union, but Mexican Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Puig Casauranc was asked by the three Great Powers what would be the attitude of Mexico toward Russia's entry in the League. Vexed, Dr. Puig Casauranc revealed the pressure thus put upon him to correspondents. "I replied to the three powers," he snapped, "that Mexico, in ceaseless pursuit of international cooperation for the safeguarding of peace, hopes that the admission of Russia will strengthen the League's authority." Asked if this meant that Mexico might soon resume diplomatic relations with Russia. Dr. Puig Casauranc frowned, compressed his lips.

In Geneva everyone down to the scrubwomen was sure that the 18 "noes" necessary to blackball Russia when the League Assembly meets would not be found. In Moscow and Warsaw, however, other difficulties were stressed. Russia will demand a permanent League Council seat. Failing that she may refuse to join. Just now Poland has a semi-permanent Council seat. She threatened last week to demand a permanent seat for herself if Russia gets one. Since the Council can only act by unanimous vote, Poland was thus in a position to blackmail the Council, seemed strongly disposed to make the attempt. In March 1926 Brazil tried similar blackmail when Germany was proposed, deadlocked the Council and finally resigned from the League.

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