The Nonpartisan Leader Newspaper, March 10, 1919, Page 11

1 P > 7 v “done. . not ‘be - fair ' because it ~would give China, a back- ! Leagueof Nations PlanOffered toWorld Constitution of International Federation as Framed by Versailles Conference RESIDENT WILSON has re- turned from Europe with the task ahead of him of persuad- ing the United States senate to adopt the constitution of the league of nations, projected by the conference of the allies at Versailles. A few days before : his arrival the American press received the text of this constitution by cable and already there has been much discussion of it. Liberals throughout the countrs; have urged a league of nations as the best and really the only means of averting future wars, and the president - claims that he has succeeded in filling this demand. 'The great question at issue now, therefore, is whether the Versailles conference has provided a real league of nations which will accomplish the objects our liberals have in view or whether, as has been so often.the case in diplomatic history, this conference has provided “something just as good.” And this is by no means an academic issue. The " conditions that would give a real league the op- portunity to do inestimable good also give a ieague planned on the wrong basis the chance to work inestimable evil. If the conference has not pro- duced what was expected of it, now is the time to demand changes in the articles and amendments. The point of greatest danger in the constitution, as published in the press, is probably the failure to establish a principle of representation by which any nation would automatically become a member of the league. On this point the document reads: The action of the high contracting parties under e terms of this covenant shall be effected through the instrumentality of meetings of a body of delegates repre- senting the high contracting parties, of meetings at more frequent intervals of an ex- ecutive council, and of a > permanent international sec- retariat-to be established at the seat of the league. - The executive council shall consist of representatives of the United States of Amer- ica, the = British: empire, i France, Italy and Japan. to- have demanded a league of nations gether with representatives which will put an effective check of four other states, mem- bers of the league. The se- lection of these four states shall be made by the body of delegates on such prin- ciples and in such manner as they think fit. Pending the appointment of these representatives of the other states, representatives of shall be, members of the .executive council. : Invitations shall be sent to any power to attend a meeting of the .council at: which matters directly af- fecting its -interests are to be discussed and no decision taken at any meeting will be -binding on such power unless. so invi How are the delegates of these “high contracting parties” to be chosen? On what will the representa- tion of a country like - China or Mexico depend?: Who will the parties be? A few nations who now possess the preponderance of military power or the whole world? “Will all the other nations which con- stitute the greater part of the world both in area and population enter the league -only on terms which give the five allied nations the control or on terms which will be just, as between all nations? These. questions: ghould be an- swered before we say “well done” of what has been these groups. ation. The finding of a prin- ciple of representation is as hard as it is necessary. That used ‘in the United | States—population—would . ward and thickly populat- With the war over the people are turning their attention to the war against economic autocracy. They _ ‘know that they can not be safe from war so long as powerful spe- cial privilege groups exist. on the international plottings of Whether the league of nations offered by the present- day statesmen is effective or not, the farmers and workers are on - the right ‘road in scrapping eco- nomic autocracy, for only that can prevent a successful world feder- President Wilson said at the conference that the foundations "of war “were the power of small bodies of men to wield their will and use mankind as pawns in a game.” The riglt kind of a league of nations will remove some of this war-making power; the people at home must remove the rest of it from their-midst by ctushing special privilege. . " ed nation, four times as much representation as our progressive nation would have. Nor can we take area, for then Russia would have far more voice than would be just as between that country and Germany, Austria or France. What is probably necessary is a formula which will combine the fac- tors of area and population with others expressing relative prosperity, such as volume of production and commerce and percentage of illiteracy. With regard to admission of states the consti- tution also says: R Admission to the league of states not signatories to the _covenant and not named in the protocol hereto as states to be invited to adhere to the covenant, requires the as- sent of not less than two-thirds of the states represented in the body of delegates, and shall be limited to fully self- governing countries, including dominions and colonies. No state shall be admitted to the league unless it is able to give effective guarantees of its sincere intention to observe its international obligations and unless it shall conform to such principles as may be prescribed by the league in regard to its naval and military .forces and armaments. The neéd for disarmament is recognized, and the executive council will formu'ate plans for reduc- " tion to the lowest- point consistent with national safety (probably safety within.the nation) and the enforcement of league regulations. This point will meet with general approval except among the mu- nition peddlers, but the constitution does not de- clare against the private manufacture of muni- tions as it appeared to in the version given by some newspapers. The text on this point reads: The high contracting parties recornize the principle that the maintenance of peace will recuire the reduction of national armament to the lowest boint consistent with national safety and the enforcement by common action of international obligations, having special regard to the geographical situation and circumstances of each state; MORE JUNK FOR THE DUMP PILE They b~ T o O ~= e z_/‘\‘“ihl }/M_/\ pe N N oS -—Drawn b{plfeg'sly}. for_ftlié}?l,ebid?r by Congressman John M. ,Bur’ Now Before the Public—Does It Meet Requirem?nts? and the executive council shall formulate plans for effect- ing such reduction. The executive council shall also de- termine for the consideration and action of the several governments what military equipment and armament is fair and reasonable in proportion to the scale of forces laid down in the program of disarmament; and these limits, when adopted, shall not be exceeded without the permission of the executive council. The high contracting parties agree that the manufac- ture by private enterprise of munitions and_ implements of war lends itself to grave ob’ections, and direct the executive council to advise how the evil attendant upon such manufacture can be prevented, due regard being had to the necessities of those countries which are not able to manufacture for themselves the munitions and imple- ments of war necessary for their safety. The high contracting parties undertake 'in mo way to cdnceal from each other the condition of such of their industries as are capable of being adapted to warlike pur- poses or the scale of their armaments and agree that there shall be full and frank interchange of information as to their military and naval programs. The high contracting parties agree that the league shall be intrusted with the general supervision of the trade in arms and ammunition with the countries in which the con- trol of this traffic is necessary in the common interest. With regard to international disputes the states agree to submit differences to a permanent inter- national court. If the dispute is not brought be- fore the court, the states agree to bring it before the higher body, the executive council. ‘They agree not to wage war with any nation which accepts the recommendations of the council. Any state which does not submit its case before resorting to war shall be deemed to have committed an act of war against all the members of the league, and they will break off financial and trade relations. Also they will contribute military and naval forces against the outlaw. ~ The great danger on this point lies in the fact stated above that the constitution does not provide a principle of representation by which all nations can automatically become members on a fair basis. - The states kept outside the league are put at a great disadvantage. In dis- putes with league states, one party to the dispute will be both an interested party and a part of the court to pass on it. The special interests in the league states could thus w ;i easily use the great power of the-league to override ‘ any successful experiments in industrial democracy in nonleague states such as Russia, Germany, Austria, the Scandinavian countries or the big colonies of the European powers. But whether they do this or not probably depends more on how wide-awake the peo- ple of the league nations are than on any possible constitutional provision. On the matter of colo- nies the constitution leaves the colonial empires of the allied powers intact and adds vast territories either as colonies or spheres’ of influence. It appears to assume that none of the German colonies will be returged, but will be par- celed out among the allies. In regard to this question the constitution reads in part: - To_those colonies and ter- ritories which as a conse- quence of the late war have ceased to be under the sov- . ereignty of the states which formerly governed them and which are inhabited by peo- ples’ not yet able to stand by themselves under the strenuous conditions of the modern world, there should be applied the principle that the well-being and develop- - ment of such peoples form a sacred trust of civilization and that securities for the . performance of this trust shall be embodied in the constitution of the league. On treaty making be- tween the several states, % fi parties to report treaties: then be published. the document binds the’ to the league and'they 1l : a n:{ 8 i i B 8 gL ST S IR SRS = i