PEACE CONGRESS
ADOPTION OF DRAFT.
SUBMISSION OF DRAFT,
(By Cable.—Press Aseocia'.ion. —Cosyiinit.) (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) PARIS, February 10. President Wilson, in submitting tho draft or tho League of Nations, said the great thing about the League schema was that for tho first time in history the hitherto downtrodden eloments of civilisation were given a chance.
Lord Robert Cecil emphasised tho fact that the scheme would preserve the peace of tho world, with the least possible interference with national sovereignty. No nation could go to war till all moans for a settlement of tho idsispute had been fully tried, and iiO nation could seek to disturb tho territorial settlements arrived at in peace. It would do nioro than forbid war: it would institute international co-opera-tion in place of international competition. The Right Hon. G. N. Barnes expressed groat satisfaction that the scheme substituted altruistic principles for tho settlement of international troubles. He eulogised armament reduction and international Labour organisation, from which he prophesied groat things. He regretted thp absence of any provision for an international force. M. Venizelos supported this view. Several references were made during the debate to mandatories. President Wilson, when reading from the draft, pointedly paused on the mandatory section, saying:—"This was carefully discussed by the representative Powers, and their conclusions are embodied in the articles." Later one of tho Hedjaz delegates emphasised the importance to them of the mandatory provision, claiming; tho right to seloct their own mandatory. Sir Joseph Cook and Sir Joseph Ward were present. MR MASSEY'S VIEWS. PARIS, February 17. Tlie Right Hon. W. F. Massev, interviewed, said ho was confident that members of the Conference were anxious for the success of the League of Nations. It would not absolutely prevent war. but undoubtedly its operation would make wars less frequent, becauso it gave time for exhaustive consideration of disputes. It could not be denied that tho League must have force, if its authority was to be exercised, and it would still be necessary to keep a certain military and naval strength. He could see no other way to enforce discipline on unruly and unscrupulous nations. The finance scheme called for serious consideration, and tho question! of disarmament required careful investigation. Without the British Navy, Germany would liavo dominated the world. That Navy was still the most important influence for the world's peace, and they must be careful how they allowed it to bo interfered with. Germany's atrocities must be punished fully and compensation seen rod for injuries inflicted, otherwiso they might expect similar things in future. He heartily wished tho Leaguo success. ' STATEMENT BY SIR JOSEPH WARD. fljnited Service.) (Received February 19th, 1 a.m.) PARIS, February 16. Sir Joseph Ward, discussing the League of Nations scheme, said everyone must agree without hesitation that tho fundamental need of tho peace sctj tlemcnt was definite machinery for tho prevention of the recurrence of tho great world tragedy. An honest effort must be made to construct international means for avoiding war. The covenant certainly represented tho best and most honest thought on tho matter. It was not free from defects, but provided all the principles for a substantial foundation of international co-operation. It was less cumbersome than expected, with enough elasticity to permit of general improvement and evolution. The article dealing with the future admission of enemy States was explicit regarding the necossary safeguards. Many articles represented drastic restrictions on previous freedom of enterprise, but the League should succoed in maintaining general assent to them. In regard to mandatories, the delegates must afceept the system. It was impossible to have a League without a mandatory system. If each wero given a thorough trial, the experiment should never be worse than tolerable. Those with an intimate knowledge of tho South Pacific were necess'arily in favour of British control, because it developed the natives and gave them liberty. There was no need to fear the mandatory clause. It would inevitably lead to a desire by the natives for free absorption in the neighbouring British communities, where they would a full measure of justice and equal opportunities. Sir Joseph Ward added that tho alternative to the scheme was ruination or Bolshevism. He did not regard the League as creating a supernational 6tate; indeod, thero was nothing in it preventing .the proper upkeep of the British Navy. DANGER OF DIFFERENCES. ' (United Servico.) . (Recoived February 18th, 7.10 p.m.) PARIS, February 16. The reception of tho covenant was marked by caution and liopofulness, There is a strong underlying feeling that an earnest attempt, is vital to Europe, because tho strain of competition in armaments will disrupt civilisation. The war has so shocked the moral of oven tho victorious countries that the old style of unrestricted armaments must prove suicidal. But tho League is not yet created, and thero will l>e critical hours before tho covenant is adopted. The worst danger lies in the Franco-American differences. Franco says: —"You forbid us alliances and armaments, and offer us i only a League as a guarantee against j the barbarous Germans, who have inz vaded, devastated, and robbed us four times in one hundred years, and are coming yet again. We regard tho Leaguo as inadequate, unless such members as America and Great Britain guarantee to maintain armies trained and ready to sail within fourteen days for our protection." Great Britain would probably agree to this, but Mr Wilson will not. He thinks the project could not pass the American Senate. Thero the matter stands. M Leon Bourgeois fought hard in the last days of the Commission for the ! inclusion of two clauses. One aimed : at the establishment of a permanent Military Commission under the League, j to control disarmament, and act as a uni- ' fied command in tho event of trouble. The other provided a permanent military and naval organisation for tho execution of the covenant's obliga- ' tions and for immediato efficiency in armed measures in the case of urgency.
Baron Makino (Japan) urged the•inclusion of a clause expressing in effect that all countries bo freo to all peoples of the world. , , It was immediately mado plain tna such a clause was impossible, and the proposal was -withdrawn temporarily. 7t is understood tho Japanese delegates will bow gracefully to the inevitable, though reference to racial bars will be made during tho discussion. FRENCH PRESS COMMENTS. (Received February 18th, 10.50 p.m.) PARIS. February 16. The '-Echo de Paris'' believes that the League project represents a coming struggle between two contending conceptions, namely, a super-State, absor ing part of tho sovereignty of tho constituent States on the ono hand, and an alliance of equal independents, associated for defence, on tho other.. The newspaper expresses the opinion that France is insufficiently guarded m tho absence of an international force. '•Lo Journal" regards the League as a formidable, engine for the servico ot peaoo so long as it is prepared to swiftly use its strength, but the use ot force "is still subordinate to the decision to intervene only at tho moment of peril—that is, perhaps, when it is too !ato. . , „ "Gaulois" questions if an international force would strengthen France's security, but postpones a definite opinion until details are available of what amounts to tho foundation of a new world. M. l'ichon, addressing the Allied journalists, said the French Government was unanimously in favour of the League of Nations, and had no intention of weakening it, though doubtless some necessary extensions and alterations would need to be made to tli© covenant which was a momentous document. Its adoption was a great step. Any amendments would probably bo first examined by the Commission befor© submission to tho plenary session. Mr Wilson expressed a hope before leaving that many questions would bo ripo for decision when he returned. DALMATIAN DIFFICULTIES. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) WASHINGTON, February 17. Tho State Department lias receivod advice that the Serbs, Croatians, and Slovenes have offered, through M. Clemenceau, to allow President Wilson to arbitrate on the Dalmatian difficulties with Italy. THE RUSSIAN PROBLEM. (United Service.) 'Roceived February 18th, 10 p.m.) PARIS, Fabruary 16. The Allies are face to face with bankruptcy in Russian policy. They decided yesterday to renew the invitation to all tho Russian Government to meet and negotiate, hut with a time limit of about a woek in which replies must be made. The meeting place is not material, hut it Is believed Prinkipo has been discarded. It has become a name of embarrassing memories. The Allies could compel the rocalcitrant Russian Governments to come to heel by withdrawing their armies. This may be the next move, but it is being opposed, as meaning a triumph for the Soviets.
BOLSHEVIST BICKERING. | ("The Times.") (Received February 18th, 7.30 p.m.) HELSINGFORS, February 16. The Bolshevist leaders continue to quarrel violently with reference to the acceptance of the Prinkipo invitation. M. Lonin, at the last meeting of the Moscow Soviet, openly warned them that the Commission was going to smash them unless fresh methods were adopted. Ho said: "We shall lose nothing by attending the Conference." FREEDOM OF THE SEAS. (Rcccived February 18th, 7.30 p.m.) PARIS, February 16. Mr Wilson told the American correspondents that tho freedom of the seas issue was dead. Ho added: It is a good joke against myself. The freedom of tho seas question concerns the rights of neutrals, but under the League of Nations there will be no neutrals. Tho Leaguo will fix naval codes and regulations, but it may bo said tho freedom of the soas issue no longer exists. SINN FEIN REQUESTS. (Received February 18th, 7.10 p.m.) NEW YORK, February 14. A Paris message states that Dean O'Kclly, M.P., the Sinn Fein leader, has arrived. Ho sent a letter to Mr Wilson asking if the provisional Irish Government would be recognised by the Peace Conference and tho League of Nations, and also asked for an audience with Mr Wilson. TI-IE MANDATORY SCHEME. (United Service.) (Received February 18th, 7.30 p.m.; PARIS, February 16. It was agreed prior to Mr Wilson'b departure, that the South African and Australasian mandates should include a provision that the inhabitants at any time by public vote may merge into tho mandatory countries. BRITISH COLONIAL POLICY. PARIS. February 16. President Wilson characterised Germany's colonial system as one of extermination in order to get possession of helpless people's land. At tho same time ho impliedly lauded England's policy under which many weak peoples, beginning as colonies, had been lifted into tho sphere of self-government. COMMITTEES IN SESSION. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Astocintlon.) (Received Februarv 18th, 7.10 p.m.) PARIS. February 17. The Supreme Council's Committee is meeting to deal with the subject of Roumania's claims. The committee enquiring regarding the responsibility for the war is also in session. REMOVAL FROM FRANCE. AMERICAN ALLEGATION. (Received February 18th, 7.10 p.m.) NEW YORK, February 14. The Paris correspondent of the •'Tribune" states that when Mr Balfour learned that Press despatches to the United States said that the British delegates were in agreement with Mr Wilson's desire to remove the place of Conference from France, he communicated with tho American authorities and tried to stop the transmission of the messages.
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Press, Volume LV, Issue 16451, 19 February 1919, Page 7
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1,852PEACE CONGRESS Press, Volume LV, Issue 16451, 19 February 1919, Page 7
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