Evening Star
- French allies win four Council seats
- Fuel leak delays Fonck for a day
- Belgium considers a gold franc unless France ratifies its debt accord
The Council report distinguishes Poland’s eligibility for reelection from any guarantee of a later seat and records German objections to the election’s regional balance. Fonck’s flight remains conditional on repairs and weather after a fuel leak sends the aircraft back into its hangar. Belgium’s possible gold franc is likewise a contemplated response to French inaction on debt ratification, rather than an accomplished monetary reform.
Translation
French allies win four Council seats
Not only will France have four allies in the Council, but Poland, whose demand for a permanent seat was one of the chief causes of the League’s failure to admit Germany to membership last March, is declared eligible for re-election at the end of the three-year period given her today.
Germans Are Displeased.
The first reaction in German circles to the designation of two of the members of the Little Entente, Rumania and Czechoslovakia, was one of displeasure that the Nordic group represented by Finland should have been defeated. One unofficial spokesman for the Germans now in Geneva said: “Poland has been declared re-eligible, but the world can bank on the fact that this does not assure her re-election.”
In addition to Poland, three-year terms were voted Chile and Rumania, while Colombia, Holland and China were given two years, and the other three one year each. The Assembly adjourned until Saturday morning.
Fuel leak delays Fonck for a day
WESTBURY, N. Y., September 16.—The New York-to-Paris flight of Capt. Rene Fonck, French ace, and three companions was postponed today, perhaps indefinitely, because of a leak in their biplane’s gasoline tank. The leak was found as they were preparing to hop off.
May Have to Abandon Flight.
Igor Sikorsky, designer and builder of the huge three-motored biplane, gave orders to put the plane back into its hangar when it proved difficult to stop the flow of gasoline, which was leaking at the rate of 10 gallons an hour. Fear had been expressed that if the flyers did not get under way today weather conditions might not permit them to start this year.
Tentatively the start of the flight was set again for tomorrow. Mr. Sikorsky said the trouble was quickly located and that it was a small matter to repair. He expressed the belief that the plane would take off tomorrow morning, if weather conditions were favorable.
Belgium considers a gold franc unless France ratifies its debt accord
BRUSSELS, September 16.—The Belgian government seemingly has decided upon a campaign to induce France to ratify her debt agreement with the United States.
If the Belgian plea for such action should fall on deaf ears in Paris, it is not unlikely that Belgium may decide to create a gold franc in the hope of dissociating her money from the influence of French franc fluctuations.
Minister of the Treasury Franqui, who is going to London shortly to negotiate a consolidation loan, expects to visit Paris before returning home, with the hope of inducing the French to ratify the debt accord.
Context
Why the Council’s seats mattered
The League’s Assembly represented all member states, whereas its smaller Council met more frequently and dealt with international disputes. Non-permanent Council seats were filled by Assembly elections, and their number rose to nine in 1926. This made the choice of countries a question of diplomatic influence, not just ceremony. The article views the new members through France’s alliances and Germany’s wish for a different regional balance; Poland’s right to seek another term added a longer-term stake to that contest.
A prize flight with little margin for delay
Fonck’s aircraft, the Sikorsky S-35, was built for the $25,000 Orteig prize for a nonstop New York–Paris flight. A successful crossing also promised publicity and sales for the manufacturer. Fuel capacity and a workable weather window were therefore central to the venture. A retrospective account in the Sikorsky archives explains that repairing the September 16 leak would have pushed arrival in Paris into darkness. The leak mattered not only as a mechanical fault but because it disrupted the timing of the whole crossing.
Why Belgium wanted monetary distance from France
The two francs had distinct issuers, but the article shows Belgian officials worrying that instability in the French currency was influencing their own. Separating the currencies in financial markets was part of Belgium’s stabilization effort. Later in 1926 Belgium introduced the belga as a new unit of account, restored banknote convertibility and stabilized the franc at one seventh of its prewar value. The September proposal belongs to the search for a credible monetary settlement before that reform.
Original
ALLIES OF FRANCE ELECTED TO FOUR SEATS IN COUNCIL
Not only v ill France have four allies
in the Council, but Poland, whose de
mand for a permanent seat was one
of ih‘> chief causes of the League's
failure to admit Germany to met niter
ship last March, is declared eligible
for re-election at the end of the three
year period given her today.
Germans Are Displeased.
The first reaction In German circles
to the designation of two of the mem
bers of the little entente, Rumania
and Czechoslovakia, was one of dis
pleasure that the Nordic group repre
sented by Finland should have been
defeated. One unofficial spokesman
for the Germans now in Geneva, said:
“Poland lias been declared re
ellgible. but the world can bank on
the fact that this does not assure her
re-election.”
In addition to Poland, three-year
terms were voted Chile and Rumania,
while Colombia, Holland and China
were given two years, and the other
three one year each.
The Assembly adjourned until Sat
urday morning.
GAS LEAK DELAYS FONCK FOR A DAY
WESTBURY, N. Y., September 16.
The New York-to-Paris flight of Capt.
i Rene Fonck, French ace, and three
i 1 companions was postponed today, per
-1 haps Indefinitely, because of a leak in
their biplane’s gasoline tank. The
i leak was found as they were prepar
ing to hoj» off.
May Have to Abandon Flight.
Igor Sikorsky, designer and builder
|of the huge three-motored l>iplane.
“j g*ve orders to put the plane Itark
into ils hangar when it proved diffi- i
j cult to stop the flow of gasoline, which j
wa.s leaking ;u the rate of 10 gallons
:an hour. Fear had been expressed j
j that if the flyers did not get under:
way today weather conditions might i
j not f term it them to start this year. j
j Tentatively ihe start of the flight
was set again for tomorrow,
j Mr. Sikorsky said the trouble was j
j quickly located and that it was a j
entail matter to repair. He expressed
the belief that the plane would take,
i off tomorrow morning, if weather con- j
j (lit kms were favorable.
BELGIANS CONSIDER GOLD FRANC UNLESS FRENCH 0. K. DEBTS
j BIII'SSELS, September 16.—The
j Belgian government seemingly has
j decided upon a campaign to induce
France to ratify her debt agreement
j with the United States,
ij !f the Belgian plea for such action
should fall on deaf ears in Par(s, it is,
not unlikely that Belgium may decide j
to create a gold franc in the hope of j
dissociating her money from the in
fluence of French franc fluctuations.
Minister of the Treasury Franqui.
who is going to London shortly to ne
gotiate tt consolidation loan, expects
to visit Paris before returning home.
with the hope, of inducing the French
to ratify the debt accord.
Source: Holding institution