5 MARCH 1921, Page 2

The Council of the League of Nations, at its meeting

last Saturday, was confronted with a serious difficulty raised by Switzerland. The League is sending small contingents of troops to Vilna to keep order While the inhabitants vote on the question whether Vilna is to be Lithuanian or Polish. Some of the troops were to pass through Switzerland. The Swiss Federal Council, however, has refused to let them travel on Swiss railways, lest, in the event of a Bolshevik attack on Vilna during the plebiscite, the neutrality of Switzerland might be compromised. The Counoil expressed regret at such a refusal, which, M. Bourgeois said, had done great moral harm to the League. It is obvious, indeed, that if Switzerland means to obstruct the passage of League troops on an absolutely peaceful errand, she is not fulfilling her duty as a member of the League. The Swiss interpretation of neutrality, moreover, seems inconsistent with the maintenance of the League headquarters in Swiss territory. For if the League had to undertake punitive measures against any State, the Swiss Federal Council, in order to remain neutral, would have to expel the League from Geneva.