LEAGUE OF NATIONS

Taranaki Daily News, 30 April 1919, Page 5

LEAGUE OF NATIONS

REVISED COVENANT. Means For Averting Wars. Settlement of Disputes. Received April 29, 5.5 p.m. New York, April 27. The revised text of the covenant of the League" 6f Nations, to be presented at the plenary session of the Peace Conference, is a lengthy document, coneirtinjf of twenty-sbt articles. It largely covers the ground as already cabled. Article 1 provides that the original taembfcrs of the League of Nations shall be those' of the aign'atorsj and also such other states as shail accede without reservation to the covenant. Such concessions shall be effected by declaration, deposited: with the secretariale within two months of enforcement; it also provides for admission to the League Of any fully sell-governing state, ddftiirfkm'i or 'colony* if agreed to by two-thirds of the" members of its assembly," provided it gives guarantees of its sincere intention to observe the international obligations. Any members of the League, may, after two years' notice, withdraw from the League if all its obligations under the covenant have .been fulfilled.. Article 8, referring to the reduction of arriaihents, stages' that suth plans shall be sifßject to reconsideration and revisiort. at least every ten years, and limits' the armaments, which are not to be exceeded without the concurrence of the eririneil. Article 12 provides that if a rupture arises between members of the League war shall hot be resorted to until three months after the Council ha 3 given its awfit'd"od the duestlon, and, if the Council is Successful in settling the dispute, a statement shall be made public, giving the full items of settlement. If a 86tllem , en't is not effected, the Council' IBSU jiublish a statement of the facts of the .dispute and the recommendations made by the Council, members of the League agreeing not to go to war with any Jtßrty to the dispute which complies with, the reconijnendatiohs of the reptoft. if fie Council fails to reach a report unanimously agreed to by members other J than, the parties to the dispute, members | of the League reserve the right to take action considered necessary. Article 16 states that, should a nation resort to war iri disregard' of its covenants; it sHall, ipso facto, be deemed to have committed art act of against alt the, other members of the League, tfho shall immediately subject it to tfip seVenmce of all. trad/! and financial relations, the prohibition of all iritereburse between their nationals and the nationals of the covenant-breaking member; aid the prevention of ail financial, commercial, or personal intercourse between the nationals of the covenantbreaking member of the League and the nationals of any, other state, whether a member of the League or not. It will be the duty of tie Council, in such case, to recommend to the several governments' concerned what effective forces, naval 6t military, members of the League - can contribute to protect the covenants of League members also £Jemg to stjipdrt one another. In ncJal and'economic measures, even, (ijry member violating the covenant of tte League* nJSy be declared no longer a member of tb.e,League.by the vote of the Council, concurred in by all other members represented thereon. Article 17 state's that, in the event | of a dispute b'etweog a member of the Leagtie, and i state not a member, or between .states not' mefflbets of the j League, tfoy sK&IL be invited to accept | the obligations of membership in the League for the purposes of such dispute, upon such conditions as the Council may deem just. Upon giving the invitation, the Council shall immediately institute an inquiry into the dispute, and recommend the necessary action. If both states refuse the membership Of the League, the Council shall take measured to.pTevent hostilities and settle the dispute. Article 20 requires members to agree to the covenant accepted as abrogating all obligations or misunderstandings, inter se, which are inconsistent with the terms of the covenant, and undertake not to enter into any future engagement inconsistent with the terms of the covenant. Article 21 provides that nothing in the covenant shall be deemed to affect the validity of international engagements, liuch as, treaties of arbitration or regional understandings, like the Monroe Doctrine, for securing the maintenance "of jeaee. Article 22 provides that those colonies-and territories which, in consequence of the late war, are not to be under the sovereignty of the states formerly governing them, and which are Inhabited by peoples unable to stand by themselves under the strenuous conditions of the modern world, there shall be applied the. principle that the wellbeing and development of such peoples ftbflll fdrm a sacred trust of civilisation, and securities for the performance of this trust shall be embodied in the Covenant. This is provided for by the mandatories on the part of the League, the mandates to differ according to the stage of development of the people, the geographical situation, economic condition, and other similar circumstances. The article mentions certain communities formerly belonging to the Turkish Empire, and other peoples in Central Africa, Southwest Africa, and certain of the South Pacific islands Where the mandates are required, in every ease the'mandatory shall render to the Council an. annualreport in reference to the territory committed to its charge The degree of authority, control. or administration shall, if not previously agreed upon,by members of the League, be yxplicitly "defended A permanent comfmission is to be constituted to examine the reports of the mandatories aitti advise the Council on all matters relating to the observance of the .mandates., , , . / Article 23 states that subject to, and / in accordance with the provisions of / international conventions existing or / hereafter agreed upon, the members of / the League shall endeavor to secure and / maintain fair human conditions of labor for men, women, and children, both m their, own countries and in all countries 16 which their commercial and industrial relations extend, and, for that purpose, wiM establish and maintain the necessary international organisations. Provision will be mtHe, to securfe and maintain freedom, of communication and transit and e<JuMi*ie tfektMelt for the commerce of all member! of the League. Ahwj nreyentfon and control of disease

will be made a matter of international concern.

_ Article 25 provides for the encouragement and promotion of the establishment of national Red Cross organisations. Article 2o provides for amendments of the covenant to take effect when ratified by the Council of the League, The following original members of the League of Nations are signatories of the treaty of peace: The United States of America, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, the Britisli Empire, Canada, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, India, China, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, Ecuador, France, Greece, Guatemala, Haiti, Hedjaz, Honduras, Italy, Japan, Liberia. Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Roumania, Servia, Siam, and Uruguay; and the states invited to accede to the covenant are: The Argentine Republic, Chile, Columbia, Denmark, The Netherlands, Norway, Persia, Salvador, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and Venezuela. London, April 28. The original members of the League of Nations will he the Allied signatories to the peace treaty, numbering 32. The British Dominions are counted as separate members', and thirteen neutrals hive been invited to join. The most notable amendment to the covenant, of which the revised text has been published, expressly states that the Monroe Doctrine and international engagements designed to maintain peace shall remain valid.

The League will reconsider treaties which might endanger the world's peace. All the League's decisions must he unanimous, except when it is specifically provided otherwise.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

Paris, April 25. Baron Makino made another effort to introduce the racial equality amendment into the League of Nations covenant. The revised covenant of the League of Nations was adopted officially without the amendment.

President Wilson, in a speech, announced that Sir Eric Drummond, of Britain, had been nominated as first secfetary-general to the League of Nations.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. COVENANT EXPLAINED'. ENEMY COUNTRIES TO BE

ADMITTED. Received April 29, 10.35 p.m. London, April 29. It is pointed out that the re-dfafted covenant prov s for the admission of Germany and Russia to the council when established as great Powers, and when they can be trusted to honor their obligations. The effect of the article admitting a small State id sit on the council when its affairs arc intimately involved amounts to an effective veto, as the council's' decisions must be unanimous, The draft clears up doubts regarding disarmament. There will be no dictation 1 as to the size of national forces. The council will merely formulate plans which the governments may accept or reject, and which will be the basis of subsequent disarmairierit. The convention article guaranteeing territorial integrity emphasises that the League cannot be used to suppress internal movements. Its function is merely to prevent forcible annexation.—Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc. Received April 30, 12.10 a.m. London, April 29. Tn default of a strong international force ready for immediate action, members of the League must make their own arrangements for self-defence-The covenant encourages defensive conventions between States, arid regards' them as guarantees of the world's peace, but the treaties must be public.

AMERICAN OPINION. Received April 30, 1.15 a.m. New York, April 23. The New York Times' Washington correspondent states that party lines no longer divide opinion on the Lcagife' covenant. Many Republican Senators who strongly objected to the first draft now declare they are satisfied with the amendments, while several Democrats contend that the covenant is still unsatisfactory. Mr. Chamberlain, a Democrat, points out that the covenant fails to leave the control of immigration de-, finitely in the hands of the individual countries, as the League council may arbitrate in immigration, disputes. The general opinion of Senators is that the revised covenant will be ratified by Congress.—Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc. PRESIDENT vvTLSON'S SPEECH. Received April 20, 93 p.m.. Paris, April 28. President Wilson, iri a speech, nibved the adoption of the League of Nations covenant. He hoped the free nations of the world would maintain justice in their international relations. The Japanese claims for racial equality were withdrawn and will he sub : reit+ed to the League later. Emmciatory principles of the Labor charter are inserted in the peace treaty. —Aus N.Z. Cable Assoc.