The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-02-15
President in Address Says
Draft Depends on Moral
Force of World.
ARMS IN BACKGROUND
SIS a Constitution of Peace
and Not a League
of War"
END TO SECRET TREATIES
Recognition Of Rights of La
Dor He Regards as One Of
the Great Advances.
END TO SECRET TREATIES

PARIS. Feb. 14.-President Wilson
was the central figure Of the Plen-
ary Peace Conference at 3 80 o'clock
this afternoon. when in person he
read the covenapt establishing
League of Nations. There was added
interest in the session, as 1t was the
last gathering of the delegates prior
to the Presidents departure as we'll
as being the occasion of presenting
! the document with which his name IL
identified.
The President was received with
military honors ms he arrived at the
Foreign Office. and the large crowds
which had congregatcd gave him
cordial welcome as he passed through.
| The delegates already were assem-.
bled when the President entered the
Council Chamber.
Mrs. Wilson Is Present.
When he entered the Chamber the
| President was greeted by Premier
Clemenceau. Foreign Secretary Bal
four and Niscount Miner Of Great
Britain and the American delegates
at the head of the table. There was
little formality. Premier Clemenceau,
who is president at the conference,
called the conference to order and
President Wilson rose and addressed
the gathering.
While the President was reading
Mrs. Wilson. accompanied by the
| Presidents naval aid. was escorted
to a place behind the delegates table.
President Wilson spoke as follows:
"Mr, Chairman: have the honor,
and assume it a very great privilege,
of reporting in the name of the com.
mission constituted by this conference
! on the formulation of n plan for the
League of Nations. ] am happy to
say that It Is unanimous report.
unanimous report from the repre-.
sentatlves of fourteen nations tho
United States, Great Britain. France,
Italy. Japan. Belgium. Brazil. China,
Czecho Slovakia. Greece, Poland,
Portugal, Rumania and Serbia.
II think it will be serviceablc and
Interesting If I, with your permission.
read the document as the only report
we have to make
Cites Hypothetical Case.
President Wilson then read the
draft. When he reached Article NV.
and had read through the second
paragraph the President paused and
said:
II pause to point out that a mis-
conception might arise in connection
with one of the sentences / have Just
read-'if any party shall refuse TO
comply the council shall propose
measures necessary to give effect to
the recommendation.
"A case In point. a purely hypo-
thetical case, is this: Suppose there
is in the possession Of n particular
Power a piece of territory or some
other substantial thing in dispute tn
which It Is claimed that il Is not en-
titled. Suppose that the matter Il
submitted TO the executive council
for recommendation as to the settle
ment of the dispute, diplomacy hav-
ing failed, and suppose that the de-
cision is in favor Of the party which
claims the subject matter Of dispute
as against the party which has the
, subject matter in dispute.
, "Thrn II the party in posses
sion of the subject matter In dispute
merely sits still and does nothing II
has accepted the decision Of the coun-
ell, in the sense that II makes no
resistance. but something must he
, done TO sec that II surrcndcrS the
subject matter I'm dispute.
! I'm such case, the only case con-
tcmplated II is provided that the ex-
ccuuve council may then consider
what steps will he necessary to oblige
: the party against whom Judgment has
been given to comply with the deci-
! sions of the council"
ts TO Decision on Colonies.
II Nfter having re0d Article NIN. Pres
: iGeu. Wilson also paused and said:
n Let me say that before being en-
bodied in this document this was the
! subject matter Of a very careful dis
= cussion ny representatives, Of the FIVE
greater parties, and that their unani-
y nous conclusion is the matter en-
: bodied in this article"
After having read the entire docu-