Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1919-02-12
LEAGUE CONSTITUTION
ACTED ON TOMORROW
| IS PRESENT SCHEDULE
By Fred s. Ferguson.

Omitted Press staff correspondent
Paris, Feb. l2.-Whether obstruction
lists will give temporary victory by|
blocking final adoption of the league
of nations constitution, prior to Pres
ident Wilson's departure for the Uni
ted States as we'll as further stirring up
Paris with a war scare win be deter
mined within the next thirty-six hours.
The league Of NATIONS committee is
scheduled to take final action tomor-
row on the constitution, the draft of
which was being put in shape by sub
committee today. The committee s
work will be hampered by the fact that
many of the amendments presented at
recent meetings-two entirely new ar
ticles have been added to the original
22-are not yet entirely agreed on. If
the committee cannot reach an agree
ment tomorrow, submission of the draft
to the general peace congress this week
will be impossible.
The amendments to the league
stitution are understood to have been
introduced largely by the French who
are said TO have been developing an act
ual distrust of President Wilson, who is
insinuated to be defending the Germans
and Bolsheviki. This feeling not only
has been demonstrated in the French
Press but is alleged to have developed
in various committees. The French at
titudc has resulted, it is understood, in
insistence that the constitution provide
for establishment of great interns-
tional army to be stationed in France,
as well as further restrictions on Ger
man and Russian membership.
War Scare Bothers French.
The war scare has melted the French
to propose ocupation of Essen and other
military extensions to the original sr
mistice terms Well-informed military
authorities declare Marshal Foch is far
over estimating the situation when he
says the Germans are able to put an
army of 100000 in the field within
| two months A British officer who just
returned from Germany said that ev-
en- if Germany were in position to
raise new army the food situation
is such that she would be unable to
feed it more than two weeks. In addi-
tion, it is known that the German
transport system was practically in a
state of complete breakdown when the
armistice was signed The rolling stock,
automobiles and horses, turned over to
the allies since then would render i'm
mobile any army Germany might gath
er.
Charge That U. 8. Favors Huns
The French. it is charged, in oppos-
ing American suggestions for econom-
ic concessions to Germany, are trying
to make ite appear that the Ameri1
Ecans are favoring the Germans, where
as the Americans are merely trying
4 to apply the rule Of common sense.
| For instance, in manufacturing after
peace is signed, France and Belgium
will be given preference in shipment
of raw materials. But the French
want German factories to be held i'm
potent until France is thoroughly re-
stored industrially and able to com
pete on an equal basis. Both the Brit
ish and Americans appreciate that
Franco is handicapped through wanton
destruction Of her plants by the Ger
mans, but the question arises as to
how money may be expected to be OBJ
tanned from Germany for reparation If
she is not permitted to go to work and
earn it. g