The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-09-04
Flies in the League Of Nations Ointment
[By II. r. spencer.l

eStlnB III lnal u group VI lnSA,
some of them statesmen, could
deliberate for six months on a
noble theme and as a result pro.
duce q joke; it is curious in that
the combined labors OF these
men should have produced such
an impractical and unavoidable
scheme as that submitted to this
country for ratification.
The scheme for a league OF
nations provides for two separate
and Independent bodies of dele.
gates, selected by the members
of the league-one called an
assembly" the other, a "coun-
Gill;
Article two of the covenant
provides that:
1.-The action of the league
under this covenant shall be
effected through the instrument
tality of an assembly ana coun-
Gil, with a permanent secre-
tariat."
Article three is as follows:
The assembly shall consist OF
representatives of the members
of the league. The assembly
shall meet at staten Intervals,
and from time to time, as occa-
sion may require, at the seat OF
the league, or at such other
place as may be decioe0 upon.
The assembly may deal at it's
meetings with any matter within
the sphere of action of the
league, or affecting the peace of
the world. AT meetings of the
assembly each member of the
league shall have one vote, and
may not have more than three
representatives"
Article four of the covenant
provides:
THE council shall consist of
representatives of the principal
allied and associated powers, to-
gether with Representatives Of
four other members Of the league.
These four members Of the
league shall be selected by the
assembly from time to time in
its discretion. Until the ap-
pointment of the representatives
Of the four members of the league
first selected by the assembly,
representatives of Belgium. Bra
I'll. Spain and Greece shall be
members of the council.
with the approval of the ma
jority of the assembly, the coun-
Gil may name additional men,
bers Of the league whose repre-
sentatives shall always be mem
beers of the council; the council
with like approval may increase
the number of members Of the
league to be selected by the
assembly for representation on
the council
"The council shall meet from
time to time, as occasion may
require, and "a least once each
year, at the seat of the league.
or at such other place as may
be decided upon.
THE council may deal at Its
meetings with any matter within
the sphere of action of the
league, or affecting the peace OF
the world.
AT meetings of the council,
each member Of the league rep
resented on the council shall
have one vote, anG may have
not more than one representa-
tive"
The covenant provides for two
separate, independent governing
bodies, whose Jurisdiction is to
extend to a consideration of any
thing and everything relating to
the peace of the world.
There is no requirement that
these two bodies shall agree on
a regulation, law, suggestion, or
whatever its mandate may be
called, affecting the worlds
peace.
The covenant provides that
each may meet when and where
it pleases, without reference to
the time or place Of meeting of
the other. There is no provision
requiring them to meet at the
same time, or at the same place,
or to concur in each others acts.
The result of such indepen-
dence of action is easy to pre-
dict. If the assembly recommend
a line of conduct to be followed,
the council, SO long as human
nature remains as it is, will be
very likely to recommend some
thing else.
The independence of the as
sembly to suggest rules Of ma
tionaI conduct, and the right of
the council to press it's own
views on world policies. are the
sure precursors of jealousy and
quick quarrels."
1t has been the history of the
world that legislation is best con-
Quoted and most effective when
there are two bodies whose de-
cisions must be concurrent be-
fore becoming law. Great
Britain has its parliament, COM
posed of the house of commons
and the house of lords. No
proposition can become effective
until it is approved by both
branches OF the parliament. The
United States has It's congress,
composed of the house or repre-
sentatives and the senate, where
concurrent action must be had
before any measure can become
law France has its chamber of
deputies and its senate.
Yet, with all the history Of the
world behind 1t, the late assem-
blage Of statesmen has proposed
league Of nations, to be guided