The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1919-11-04

Ihi ItINibFNtN ot THE WbtBD'
The dispatch from London saying that president
wilson ls esRgcted decline the presidency of the
l',Fue Of nations giving tho place to Paul Hypans.
the rrenn foreign minister" disclosed a queer stato
ot affairs
Here l..an office which deeply sVery chan.
ccl"ry ches.nh"m Thn, is admitted II has been
assorted both aides the Atlantic that the p.rsonsi
ambition to hold ito l." n. flrst president Of tho
nori moved lrdlyidualD in Tho lonc' conference to
max. strange dc, sion, and even on7wth the destiny
thrr rc"pl" Il has been asserted ma. the posi-
'op w"ul with II po."r greater than any man.
modern over poVoes"d by others hnt It
merely an h"torip position without power OF author
iiy of .hy KIND
All Of which is it may ho. but the fact remains
that the oftce widely discussrd does exist and
les not ptovicd Tor either In the treaty of peace
league 81 nations There h not from the beginning to
the oud u Inc league covenant. any reference
retarhi' The wording 81 the clause setting up the
executive machinery ~ the league Is exceedingly brief
W" quot" It IN fu "s found In Article II
The action Of The league Under this covenant
shall br effected through, the fundamentally of
rotAriu
After setting forth the roproscpatloh accorded In
Articles NJ " and V Article VI contains this adii.
tionai reference TO the executive machinery
Tho permanent sccrrtarat shall be sstablehod
Al th" e"at of the league The sccrcDuiu shall
comprise secretary general and such sccrcrarics
and starr os may bc required
Then In Article VII
The seat Of the league Is established al Geneva.
Al positions under or tn connection with the
league. including the secr"tariht. shall be open
equally 10 men and women
The first secretary general IL named in the annex
Cir James Eric Brummond. And throughout the docu-
men all reference to the executive machinery names
the secretary general the supreme executive In the
last paragraph OF Article we find this:
The first meeting of the assembly and the first
Meeting OF the council shall he eummoncd -
president OF the United states Of America
Here IL an inferentihl Acknowledgement that tho
league liz to be differed differently from The mode
first meeting 50 called And that being true Of course
presiding officer viii be essential hut II is perfectly
clear that the authority OF the office and Its emou
mentS are aH litle hedged about 10y provisions In
the covenant were tho despots and Of old
II may he urged that the president Of the league
president OF the world In faotrccrives grant OF
authority from the document. Hut neither Is anything.
within the broad and Rll-inolusive provisions OF the
covenant. withheld from him. His compensation may
be fabulous or 1t may be nothlng Tho point we make
Ia that all OF these vital points left the dacre
tion OF those who may gather to. far be de
tormned from the document itself spportion the world
Which brings us to another very singular thing Tho
various nation members to he represented by not
moro than three delegates tho assembly and one
each to the council The method OF filling the positlo
OF general secteJat Is clear All subordinate posi-
lions to be filled by him. Hut there is compensa-
ton stated In inatancc manner Of effecting
the appointment OF the national representatives Ia g
ored completely.
Nor Is there ,sythins touching tho qualifications OF
tho president Must he he elected from the represcn.
tatives on tho council assembly. the members
OF the council designate any In the world even
though that man may have been refused ncmbershp IN
on tho council by his own nation?
These are some OF the dangers which surely con
front those who asked to into this
1t has been called wonderful document And yet ms
contract and It thatif It is anything there IL not
breflcs~ harriSter In the world that would advise
his client TO affS his name to a document OF such
grave uncertainty