The sun., 1919-03-20

VI tio iohBueg NO OOupt the trainers
OF this clause had in mind a blockade |;
out what II the offenders land frontier,
border upon countries not members Of
tho league? Suppose. for example. that
the new State OF Poland shouId. con.
trary to her covenant affect C,.ohr-
SIovakia7 Iyo,v a.. ~. ,aa.,,na 1870
to prevent tha po,s. 80, 1910. u.,..
the Ru.,,an. ans G.. .. WV" WIZ.
ana vsgt, 'Anasr,,.. n vi ZIG oas'
h. .,rcss Appsenuy something mere
The meaning Of the covenant should
aoe perfectiy certain. ana we>may
.nst evsry enort Will ne made
ec. TINS Decause wnen people Know
what eney intend ana want tho whole
worio 10 Know what they intend they
are naturally willing to make their
meaning clear.
Let us remember that in its present
shape tho covenant Is intended only as a
draft, subject to correction; for n It
were regarded as finished and upohanse-
able. II would not have been given out
until submitted for ratification. It il
detective al II all unfinished lexisf don
that enbodies much OF compromise. For
.ne hrst time we nave an experiment In
epen oIpiHuacy. mo pubic peinG al
Inil'eo 70 inspece the process pefore u is
soInpieteu. IL would certainty DO unfor-
.uns,e Ior thst experiment. II criticism OF
.ne oraIt were purely destructive; and
yee We nave 30 iar mad no criticism OF a
ucuVe cnarscter. FROM tnose. and
tney are many, who profess to believe in
ticular nlsn. We nave hsa,a i i,,.,I pa "
nothins ns fha ~, ,S,. ~ ns
improved to meet their views. Crst,c,sm
seems to have been left almost wholly 70
those who object to a league OF Nat;ons
altogether.
surre.t. an Am.rnu.-.
Having observed that the drafting OF
the covenant Ia defective. i am not fur
tner concerned here with pointing out or
Iv.s or susgestins improvements, but
VIII inc substance OF the plan--with the
~ oi Tue league which the repre-
., Oh Ioureeen nations agreed
tpom uhanimousIy. but l should like
~. ousses. quo Amsnomene that would
,hs cn,,nna. 80 VIZ i0ns. .ne meaning OF
cisa b,t .,o,,ia ..'.I, "yInnx rs pre-
6i,cus.;or 80 oAny IuItner
ra,.sd ~, ca. many ooJectiohs
An addit;onai rt,o,. u oo I,is oi
s as ioio"s'
Inc ophgations assumed by the
snsnioeIs OF the league are only those
when .ney agree 10 assume by-this
auu hot otners Wnicn they
th. ei asree 10 assume. Fur
shs H"o po~eis possessed oy
"a o,s. VI une league arc tnoSe
-. az, enose' conferred upon them
Was
or the same thing might be ex-
pressed more briefly thus:
"Where its intent IL clear. this
covenant means what It says, and not
something else
such a clause would helm soma ~ o,,r
opponents to construe the document In
my argument I shall Assume thai ,h;,
clause has been added 70 the covenant
or is Unnecessary. For examnle wnen
| the covenant saws that the Icxec,,tt a..
Council of the league shall .aav;ae, nv
| recommend or .determine fpr the con.
| sideration and action ot tha aevera,
governments or formulate mans, Or
| propose measurec,' i assume that q
means what II saws. To advise or 80
ommend means to suggest. to prono,e
to advocate-in short to recomr,sndN
.or CONSIDERATION by soma one else. not
Obliged to obey: and when Tho n,a,nbors
OF the league agree that their e,xecu,iva
Council may advise or recommend a
course Of action. thew agree IN conside-
that Recommendation. but tbev e.snno.
no obligation. legal or rnor,I r. fniin,.,
It IL thew do not approv. ~ ~ Much ~.
the misunderstandinp NJ ths r,an 80
pared In Paris has come from ra ii,,,s 20
keep this fact in rnind-and vet q youid
seem fairly obvious.
by tho covenant tn. rnen,her, ~ IN.
| league assume several vrava chi,gatton.
and we may here observe that the At.
tempt TO make out dlfferent Glasses NJ
members. distinguished aa nrotocoI Nam
bers, sipnatories. high contra ctin. nar-
ties and simple members no. No ro,,nd.-
| ton in the lanruage 81 tbs coysnan,
The high contractinp narties az. th.
nations that maLe tba agraen,ant 80
| If ana ara N he ,,,entionas g., a..
col Tbev ore oil thu ,,o.roha.. - ~ >.
onIy ynembers y, tha iaa.r,,e 80, ..o
mamhara orc odr,it,.a -'e,tS 80 NV
ruII riebts -, ,,,an,hsu.,' .rn san '''
dinsranca ho,v.an a. -, my
tha e. o,,iat 1 .eipes IS Una
-. o. po" h"se .ho priVnese
% y" 'he Tx
e.1'o NouN'ii'
Defines the ObIfgat
..r. ,,,
| A'Iohs assumed
W ' .as 'neoS vi 'he league are
'oepect shu preserve as against
ISL assIsssoh .ne territorial lnteB-
ly an eNhs poilueai indepenoenca
VI . .re neoo VI ths Ieasue IAII Al:
| 10y uSpu%e udt snaii
N oe'ween .heii 70 aruieratloh tArI
| Hl, UT ~ INJURY py inc Executive
SouhciI' OF III certah cases 10 the pody
| Oh ueiesates' anu communicate 10 the
| Secretary Senerai OF the league for pub