The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-10-13
Awaits Ratification.

The conference was called by the
President under q resolution recently
passed by the Senate. but this country
will have no representatives until the
Senate ratines the treaty.
Secretary Wilson's letter follows:
"In view of the uncertainty as to
just when the peace treaty will become
effective and as to how many nations
IL any will be members Of the League
of Nations by October 20. the date
set for the convening of the interna-
tional labor conference, I beg to an
nounce that the following policy has
been determined upon:
81. The Secretary of Labor in ac-
cordance with the call issued by the
President will open the conference at
the time specified in the call and re-
ceive the credentials of the delegates
IL any are presented.
"2. II at the date of the opening OF
the conference, the treaty has become
effective through ratification by the
requisite number of Powers and a
League of Nations is in existence and
property authorized representatives of
any members OF such league are present
at the time of the opening of the con-
ference. the Secretary of Labor will pro-
coed to call such conference to order and
to organize it. 1t will then be within
the province and power of the duly
qualified representatives then and there
present to take such adjournment II any
as they may deem wise in order that
before proceeding more complete menu
bership of the league may be secured.
"3. If the treaty has not become ef-
fective by October 20, or If it has no
qualified representatives of members
present the Government of the United
States will adjourn further steps in
the organization of the conference until
a date when 1t may be expected that
sufficient duly qualified representatives
of members can be present so that the
organization of the conference may be
perfected.
Must Meet This Month.
THE foregoing is based upon the fol-
lowing conditions:
There Is no provision in the treaty
under the authority of which any gov
eminent or any body of representatives
OF any government can postpone the
conference or authorize its convocation
other than in the month Of October.
II the conference is not convened in
October it cannot be convened at all
without an amendment to the treaty.
Under the treaty the conference has
complete power TO determine its own
mode of procedure. II therefore, there
are any duly qualified members of the
conference present when II Is convened
they have unreasonable authority to
provide for such adjournment as they
may deem advisable. Under ordinary
parliamentary procedure less than a
quorum may adjourn meeting from
time to timo until a quorum is present.
Under the treaty the Government of
the United States has authority not
only to make arrangements for conven-
ing. but also for the organization of the
conference. The conference has been
duly called for a date within the month
of October. The power to organize the
| conference implicitly and necessarily
carries with It the power to hold the
| conference open until such later date
as it may be possible to fully organize
it While the power TO convene ends
with the convocation of the conference,
which must under the treaty take place
in October. the power to organize Is a
continuing power which is not specif-
| cally limited in the treaty and necessar-
lily must last on until such time as the
| conference is sufficiently organized with
qualified members able to take over the
! direction of its own procedure"