Bartholdy, Prominent in the Affairs of League, Speaks on German Relations

"One of the best-known writers upon public affairs on the continent of Europe," was the characterization applied yesterday to Dr. Mendelssohn Bartholdy, who will lecture tonight at 8 o'clock in Emerson D, by F. W. Taussig, Henry Lee Professor of Economics.

Dr. Bartholdy, professor of Civil and International Law at the University of Hamburg and grandson of the great composer, Felix Mendelssohn, will speak on "Relations between France and Germany". Professor Taussig, who will introduce the speaker, continued, "He has been particularly active in the last ten years in advocating peace and reconciliation between France and Germany. He has supported earnestly the activities of the League of Nations and all movements towards bringing about reconciliation and cooperation between the two countries.

"He was a member of the arbitration committee which was appointed for the settlement of differences in the interpretation of the Dawes Plan. He and J. N. Perkins '91, Fellow of Harvard College, served together on the committee. In 1927 Professor Mendelssohn received the honorary degree of LL.D. from Harvard University. This year he has been lecturing at Johns Hopkins and Yale, among other institutions, and is now giving the last lecture of his American tour.

"Dr. Bartholdy," Professor Taussing went on, "has recently taken a step which may seem inconsistent with his previous activities, but which is quite in accordance with his continued strong wish for bettering international relations. He has proposed that Germany now give notice that she will avail herself in two years of the option to withdraw from the League of Nations. Germany was admitted to the League long after the war had ceased and has taken an active part in its work only during the last few years. Dr. Bartholdy feels, however, that the League has not accomplished what it might and that Germany should have a free hand as to continued adherence to the League. Under the constitution of the League no nation can withdraw except after having given a two-year notice. It is this notice which Dr. Bartholdy thinks should be given now, by way of enabling Germany to be unhampered in the developments of the future. His proposal has attracted much attention, and, coming as it does at the time of the proposed Austro-German customs union, has once again raised the old question of the status of Germany under the League, and the Franco-German relations."