New-York tribune., 1919-02-13

ing every two or three months in a
place that\ will be internationalized
The meeting place was not indicated
in the plan, but during the discussion
members Of the commission spoke of
Constantinople or some island.
Each country will provide list Of
experts in international law, from
which body Will be chosen arbitrators
when disputes between nations are
submitted for settlement
If the country which the decision of
the arbitrators places in the wrong
does not accept the ruling of the ar
bnrators and has recourse in arms,
not only the forces Of the other con
tending part in the dispute, but the
forces of all the other members of the
society of nations in position to help
will take up arms against 1t.
The covenant establishing the rules
of the society of nations does not make
it compulsory for all the contracting
parties TO go TO war to help one of
their associates.
League Plan Presented
The French government formally
presented to the League of Nations
OOHliHlSSlOI lASt HlSuJ dll aTllClc Great
ing an international military force.
The introduction of this article for
inclusion in the society of nations plan
closely follows the disclosure by Pre-
mler Clemenceau in his recent inter-
view with The Associated Press of his
conviction that the league of nations
must be supported "by the determina-
tion of each nation entering into the
agreement to be willing to renounce its
traditional aloofness from other peo-
r,es and willing to employ the national
strength outside its own country in
time of peace as we'll as under the
pressure of war;
The contention Of Leon Bourgeois,
who presented the article in question,
is that the international force proposed
must be of sufficient proportions TO
prevent Germany or any other coun-
try from breaking the peace, or, if the
peace were broken. to restore it
promptly again by the collective power
NJ. Bourgeois, alluding to the appre-
tension existing in France as regards
Germany, insisted that there was grave
danger confronting France if an in
ternational force was not constantly
in being and organized for instant ac-
tion. The French view he indicated,
was that q society of nations which
did not include permanent collective
force might be a beautiful experiment,
perhaps, but an experiment too great
for a nation to risk unless it had in
addition defensive frontiers sufficient
to meet sudden shock.
France at Disadvantage
1t was easy for the British on the
other sioe of the Channel and with an
enormous navy, or for the Anne ericans,
with the ocean as their defensive
frontier. he argued. to regard calmly
the working of a league which did not
provide for an international force.
France, however. being separated from
Germany only by geographical line,
must receive the first shock if Ger
many should decide to pass beyond her
frontier and the German shock, even
with greatly limited armaments. might
be so destructive. according to the
French view that France woulo never
be able to recover.
France. with every trust and reliance
IN the good faith of Great Britain and
the United States. nevertheless would,
1t was pointed out, have to wait many
months before the forces of these ma
tions could be created, transported and
placed in action
NJ. Bourgeois is understood to have
compressed into his proposition the
deeply considered convictions of the
legal advisers.
The contention of those who do not
believe in permanently organized in
ternational army is that to create such
force would require changes in the
constitutions of several countries which
may become members of the society,
and that the difficulties in the way are
not of character to be solved quickly.
They argue that the society could
&c maintained effectively by its men,
3ers being absolutely bound, the mo-
nent hostile movement was mace by
any nation, to cooperate with their
forces against the aggressor
The idea is advanced by some of the
delegates on the society of nations
commission that should Germany, for
example. send single military unit
across the French frontier that act
should automatically be a declaration
or war against all the other members
of the society, who would thus be
bound automatically to set in motion
their collective military and naval
forces.
Lord Robert Cecil, the British repre-
sentative Of the LEAGUE OF nations CON-
mission, emphatically denied tonight
the report spread in Paris to-day that
the league Of nations commission had
approved the creation of an interna-
tlonal army and that the United States
and Great Britain had conceded a
point TO France.
Lord Robert said that in his opinion
the commission would decline, more
over, to approve any such plan. He
added that such report must have
originated with an enemy Of the peace