New-York tribune., 1919-01-21

assembled only when subjects Of es-
pecial Importance are aNder consider
alton fby the council,
Marked progress has been mace in the
business of comparing and harmonizing
various plans for the formation of
league of nations so that the matter
may be taken up as q concrete PROPOSE
ton. Much headway in this direction
was made last night at the conference
at the Murat residence which was at
tended by Mr.. Wilson, Lord Robert
Cecil, the British representative
charged with working out of plan for
league OF nations; Leon Bourgeois,
the French proponent of q plan, and
General Jan Christian SHUTS, who has
formulated plan for league.
Details Being Discussed
Preliminary conversations over the
structure of the league OF nations are,
strictly speaking. still in the stage of
being discussed in meetings of the su
preme council, arG are not technically
before the peace congress as a whole,
but the fact that the congress has ad-
vanced this question TO the foremost
place in its programme is taken to in
dicate that such progress is being made
in the supreme council as 20 warrant
the expectation that definite and
somewhat detailed programme viii
soon be evolved
This programme, it is believed. viii
present the common thought of the
leaders of the United States, Great
Britain and France, and, therefore, may
furnish starting pcint from which all
the peace delegates may participate in
the work. President Wilson is person
ally pressing forward this one feature
of the work OF the peace congress to
the virtual exclusion Of all others
Wilson Hopes for Success
With definite plan formed for erect
ing a structure upon which all nations
can agree. there are scout twenty-five
working days remaining Of the time
that President Wilson has allotted to
himself for work in France before leav-
ing for home. The question is- asked
whether he can, in this comparatively
short time, bring the nations together in
an agreement for society of nations.
Many Of the Presidents closest ad-
visers are reasonably convinced he can
appear to be spontaneous develop
ments; on expressions indicating adj
herence to the league plan by Great
Britain, France and Italy, and on the
assumption that, being virtually agreed
upon in principle and, indeed, as TO
some details. the remainder OF the
work, while presenting some pefpleXi-
ties. does not offer hopeless obstacles,
if approached in spirit OF accommoda-
fiNp 0nd which ir+rl al llXr
j all leaders have declared N theirpublic
addresses as being quite necessary to
satisfactory result.
Each Nation TO Decide
With discussions now past the point
where it seems to be agreed there shall
be no super sovereignty, or common
police force, and that the question of
whether a nation shall contribute force
in carrying out the decision of the
league, will be left to each nation In
dividually in each instance, the general
plan most talked about embodies an
enlargement of the principles contained
in the treaties negotiated by William
Jennings Bryan.
These provide for delay of year
before declaring war and Investigations
by special commission of all disputes,
and that no declaration of war shall be
made thereafter without giving certain
notice.
Such plan. current discussion in
Paris brings out, is intended by those
who favor it virtually to establish a
concert of power among the principal
nations for a preservation of world
peace. This would be extended to what
would be virtually a guardianship of
the smaller nations, applying to them
the principles which govern participa-
tion in the league by their greater
sisters.
Would Aid Small Nations
By this plan it Is apparently pur-
posed to internationalize the guardian
ship of smaller nations. with the idea
that there shall be no domination over
them by one nation, economically or
financially. II is proper to state a.
this juncture that President Wilson
himself has a reasonably complete plan
for the formation of the league of
nations. It may also be stated that he
highly regards many features of the
plan presented by General Smuts. and
is working in close harmony with NJ.
Bourgeois and Lord Robert Cecil.
Aside from the attention being paid
to the Russian situation, the society OF
nations question IS now in an advantage