The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-07-15

~Ns~1sNt VI REPRESENTATION
Much opposition has been urged
against the league because grea'
nation like the United States has onl,
one vote in the assembly. and small
nations like Siam and Liberia each
has fun vote, and also because
Great Britain has one vote and heI
five self-governing colonies a vote
each. But what difference does the
number of votes make when on al
| important matters the action of th<
assembly must be unanimous. or have
! the unanim Gus concurrence OF the
council. upon which the United States
| Is permanently represented Thu:
in all matters of importance before
the assembly. except in cases where
! she is a party TO a. dispute. the United
| States will possess veto power. and
a decision can only be reached by her
! concurrence. Thus the question al
! the number OF votes in the assembly
held by different groups is not vital
/ The league could never be organized
on any basis other than that of equal
representation for its members. II
members were accorded difference in
representation. upon what basis
should the apportionment be made ?
IF upon population, China and India
would dominate the league. and the
I United states would have only four
/ fifteenth of the number. II based
upon wealth and military power, the
situation would be equally as uncer-
tain and unsatisfactory. IT was a
wise conclusion to give equal repre-
sentation to all members and require
! unanimous agreement upon all i'm
portant matters before action can be
obtained BY doing this. important
n.-tional interests were not left to the
= u y 80,
maforities. IT eliminated the necessity
TO- intriguing manipulation with Its
attendant evils, TO control majority
of the representatives BY this meth cd
the interest Of the United States in
all important matters, except those
to which she herself is disputing
party, is erected safely upon the solid
foundation OF her own Judgment and
will, and IL not left to repose upon
the auickSands of uncertain and
shifting ma iorities. The assembly as
constituted furnishes ample means
I for the protection of the Unitetd
! States. Al present this is the best
and only possible manner In which
the assembly could have been or
eanized,
Formation of the Council
Mr. President. we Will next exam
ine the formation of the council, the
most important agency of tho leag que,
and wherein is imposed most of the
power possessed by the league, Nearly
all the action OF the league ia obtained
through tho council. Article 4 OF the
covenant provides:
The council shall consist of
representatives of the principal
allied and associated powers, to-
Eether with Representatives ~ four
other members of the league.
These four members OF the league
shall he selected ny the assem-
bly, from time to time in its dis
erection. Until the appointment
of the representatives OF tho four
members OF the lea que first Sc
lected by the assembly. the repre-
sentatives Of Belgium Brazil.
! Greece. and Spain shall he mem
| bers Of the council.
With the approval OF the ma
/ jority Of the assembly the coun-
I ell may name additional mem
! bers of the league. whose repre-
| sentatives shall always be mem
/ bers OF the council; the council
! with the like approval may in
! crease the number of members Of
the league to he selected by the
! assembly for representation Of
the council
Unanimity Required.
Each member of The league repre-
Sented in the council shall. have ont
vote and only one representative TIL,
i selection Of the representatives o
the members of the league in tn
council would he made as provided
by the laws of the respective coun
tries. In tho case of the United
| States the appointment could b.
! H., Ia, =,
| congress. The selection of the foul
members of the league to serd repre-
! sentatfves 10 tho council by the as
| semhly must be made by uranimou.
| agreement Hence the four mem
bers Of the council must be accepta
| be to the United States. Thus out o
nj @ members OF the council fou,
| mus. he selected with the consent o
(! tie United States. which, added t.
! onr representation. would make fv'
| ouI of nine. The council thus con
| stituted furnishes ample protection
to the interest OF the United States
The decisions OF the council must h
unanimous. except where otherwisi
EXPRESSLY provided in the covenant
This requirement of unanimity is only
| waived in matters of procedure anC
| the appointment of special commit
tees of inves% CATION In obtaining
/ unanimous action for the expulsion
of members Of the league or in max
| ing reports upon disputes referred
TO tho council, the representatives OF
tho members affected or Interested ir
:; both eases are excluded from PARTED
| nating in the decision OF the council
Thus upon all substantial matters
! thct can COME before the council fol
action, except disputes referred to II
| for report, 10 which the United States
IL party. II can reach no decision
! take no action, without the concur
| renee Of the representative OF the
! United states Thus the interest ot
the United States is amply safeguard
| ed in both the assembly and council
| the only agencies Of action under the
| league. Under the covenant we car
| not he heavily hurdened nor driver
i TO do undesirable things by unfair
and unstable majorities, We do not
| venture forth in world affairs. as
| claimed by some Of the opponents al
! the covenant, to how in submission
to unfrienbly najorities, bu. we con-
| tinue the master of our own destiny
, and retain a controlling voice in de.
| termining the pathway we shall
| travel
| Effort to Save Mankind.
! The primary object sought to be
| obtained in the formation Of the
| league is the preservation Of peace
ba praverfiop 81 N