ss in ia ▁( E th iop ia ) ▁and ▁the ▁League ▁attempted ▁to ▁moder ate ▁between ▁the ▁two ▁countries ▁with ▁little ▁success . ▁In ▁December ▁ 1 9 3 5 , ▁the ▁British ▁Foreign ▁Secretary ▁Samuel ▁Ho are ▁made ▁a ▁secret ▁plan ▁with ▁French ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁Pierre ▁L aval — out side ▁of ▁the ▁League ▁of ▁Nations — and ▁concluded ▁the ▁Ho are – L aval ▁P act , ▁to ▁give ▁away ▁most ▁of ▁A by ss in ia ' s ▁territory ▁to ▁M uss ol ini . ▁Two ▁months ▁later , ▁news ▁le aked ▁out ▁about ▁the ▁Ho are – L aval ▁P act , ▁and ▁Ho are ▁res igned ▁from ▁the ▁Cab inet ▁amid ▁public ▁opposition ▁to ▁appe as ement . ▁The ▁episode ▁sever ely ▁dam aged ▁the ▁reputation ▁of ▁the ▁League , ▁because ▁it ▁showed ▁that ▁the ▁League ▁could ▁not ▁serve ▁as ▁an ▁effective ▁channel ▁for ▁the ▁adj ud ic ation ▁of ▁international ▁disput es . ▁ ▁One ▁of ▁the ▁most ▁inf am ous ▁secret ▁treat ies ▁in ▁history ▁was ▁the ▁secret ▁additional ▁protocol ▁to ▁the ▁Mol ot ov – R ib b ent rop ▁P act ▁of ▁August ▁ 2 3 , ▁ 1 9 3 9 ▁between ▁Soviet ▁Union ▁and ▁Naz i ▁Germany , ▁negoti ated ▁by ▁Soviet ▁foreign ▁minister ▁V y aches lav ▁Mol ot ov ▁and ▁German ▁foreign ▁minister ▁Jo achim ▁von ▁Rib b ent rop . ▁The ▁p act ▁itself , ▁a ▁ten - year ▁non ag gression ▁agreement , ▁was ▁public , ▁but