Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-09-23
CONSTITUTION
: FOR LEAGUE OF
NATIONSF0RMED
Book on this Subject Soon
to be Published by Ger
man Official.

Amsterdam, oepC. I3.-A, dfa1t OF a
constitution for a league Of nations,
berger, clerical member Of the Ger
man reichstag, is published in the
Vossische Zeitung of Berlin. 1t is
taken from a book entitled "The
League Of Nations; the Way to
Peace. which Erzberger soon will
publish.
The first section of this constitution
dealing with the organization of such
q league, says "any sovereign state
can enter the league which shall be
considered to have been formed when
the following powers are among those
who have announced adherence:
Germany, Great Britain, France,
United States and Russia"
The Hague would be the seat Of the
league and there the international
bureau would conduct its business.
Each state. with the approval Of its
parliament, would Gproints o1fa dele
gate. The international bureau would
be controlled by a permanent, admin
istrative council consisting Of the rep
resentatives Of the federated powers
with the Dutch foreign minister as
chairman. i
Dealing with fundamental laws, the
second section says:
The league shall guarantee the
territorial possessions of each feder-
ated state as we'll as undisturbed pos
session of colonies" Each state would
be Independent in the conduct Of its
internal and foreign affairs within the
limits Of the leagues constitution.
States whose governments with the
assent Of their parliaments declare
their permanent naturalization would
be recognized by all members of the
league as permanently neutral and
would enjoy the leagues protection.
All available means would be used
against any federal state outside of
the league which attacks a federal
state or takes up arms without having
applied to the arbitration court or
awaited it's judgment, or which takes
up arms instead Of accepting its judg-
ment.
Members Of the league would mu-
steadily reduce their land, naval and
aerial forces, according to a fixed
standard to be agreed upon.
Figures showing the annual expen-
diture for armament, the number Of
troops under arms, war materials in
hand and the number of warships in
commission would be communicated
annually to The Hague bureau which
would publish them. :,
The constitution provides for eco
nomtc equality and for the principle
of the open door, all members Of the
league granting each other most ia
vored nation treatment.
For the first decade after the .foun-
dation of.the league each states sur
plus of raw materials would be divid-
ed between the other federal states.
according to a standard to be agreed
upon.
Members of the league would rec
ognize freedom Of the seas. Straits.
canals and connecting seas both
banks OF which are not in possession
of the same federal state would be in
ternationalized and their Notifications
retained. guarded by command con-
sisting of contingents from all the
federated states.
Safety Of private property on the
high seas would be proclaimed and
the naval prize law and blockade law
abolished. Exercise Of the right Of
blockade would be reserved to the
league. -
Members Of the league would re-
nounce the raising of troops in coll
onial territories. All states with
colonies situated in Africa would be
perpetually' neutral states.
( The third section dealing with the
leagues executive department pro-
vides that in event OF offences, mem-
bers will proceed against the violator
Of the constitution, first by severance
Of diplomatic relations; second, COM
plete isolation Of the offender by clos
ing frontiers to imports. exports.
postal and railroad traffic, and third,
In giving circumstances by blockade.
The same measures would be taken
against any hostile menace of a fed
Grated state from q n-member.
Should the offending state cross its
frontiers with hostile intent against
one or more members of tho league.
joint military and marine assistance
would he 1iyAn II 4.