Spain, because Spanish influence was worth
the price lo France and Britain. No one
questioned that Franee would cast her vote for
Poland so long as Poland was a French ally,
or that, the transfer of Spain to a perma
nent or even semi permanent seat would bring
Spanish influences to the side of the great
powers.
in process of time has grown within
the League a whole system of League politics
revolving both about the cleavage hetween the
small powers and the great, and also between
those nations which desired that the League
should become something of itself, something
of importance and authority independent of the
great powers, neither controlled by them when
* they were agreed, nor—as must more frequently
happen—paralyzed when they disagreed. As
for the great powers, they have steadily pur
sued the policy of dominating the League
through the Founeil, at the same time inrreas
the size of the Council to suit their own in
terests.
There is thus seen a eurious situation in
which there are now three sets of powers—the
great powers, France, Rritain, Japan, Italy
and now Germany; the smaller powers, whirh
are hound to the large powers by some form of
special bargain, as Poland Belgium, and the
states of the little entente are hound to France,
as the Rritish dominions and Portugal ate
bound to England; finally the states like
Switzerland, Holland. Denmark, Norway and
Sweden, which are on their own, and for rea
sons of highly enlightened selfishness, desire
to make the League a reality beyond the con
trol of the great powers.
