New-York tribune., 1919-03-24
Amendment Is Couched in
General Terms to Sat
isfy Critics Suggested;
Proviso Already Drawn
New Controversy Feared
Specific Mention of Doc
trine Likely to Cause
Flood of Other Issues

PARIS, March % (By The Associated
Press) Thomas W. Gregory, former
Attorney General of the United States,
who is advising the peace conference
commission on the league of nations
with reference to legal phases of
amendments which have been proposed
to the covenant, takes the view that it
is not necessary to introduce Il specific
amendment affirming the Monroe Doc
trine.
lie holds the doctrine is sufficiently
protected by the instrument as it
stands, but as matter of expediency
he sees no objection to introducing
general proviso which would safeguard
the doctrine without specifically men,
tioning it, as a specific mention would
introduce controversy over the wants
Of various states.
Such a proviso has been drawn, but
it is not known whether its incorpora-
ton in the covenant will be urged. 1t
affirms, in substance. that coercive
measures of the united powers as pro-
vided by the covenant shall not oper-
ate against nations of the Western
Hemisphere unless the United States
and other Western countries shall ap-
prove. 1t is held this would give the
United States and the Western repub-
lies the final word on applying col
lective force against nations on that
hemisphere. This, in effect, rcaffirms
the Monroe Doctrine.
Going beyond this general declara-
ton, in the view of Mr.. Gregory and
other legal experts, would introduce
wide controversy on an Interpretation
Of the meaning of the Monroe Doc
trine. 1t is expected that considera-
tion of this and other amendments will
be continued several days before final
decision is reached.
After, week OF strong pressure and
heavy demands on their strength, the
principals in the peace conference took
advantage Of the Sunday lull for q COM
parative rest. Premier Lloyd George
went to Fontainebleu for fresh air anu
repose, while President Wilson and
party motored to the war zone, where
they inspected the scenes of some of
the most important battles.
The reparatons commission has
finally agreed what Germany can and
must pay, but contention difficult Of
settlement has arisen as to the allot-
ment of damages to the different Allied
nations, and over the preferential
treatment claimed by some countries
The league of nations commission,
which will resume consideration of the
covenant article by article tomorrow,
still has to dispose Of the proposed
amendments by the French regarding
the maintenance of force to protect
members of the league from sudden
attacks, and by the Japanese for equal
ity of treatment of the nationals of all
league members.
President Wilson, it is said, intends
himself to propose some amendments,
one of which is supposed to relate to
the Monroe Doctrine. 1t was said here
to-day that Senator Henry Cabot Lodge
Of Massachusetts had declined to sub
NIT on his own responsibility amend
ments on this or any other subject.
The President is said to be RELYING
on Attorney General Gregory and Lord
Robert Cecil, of the British delegation,
to frame some amendments to meet
the demands in America, so far as they
can be interpreted in Paris The main
difficulty has been to find phrasinp
which is likely to be acceptable to the
other delegations.