Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-03-27
HUGHES HAS PLAN
TO ALTER LEAGUE
Offers Seven Amendments
to the Covenant-Would
Protect America
TO PREVENT AGGRESSION
Seeks to Revoke 'Trouble-
Breeding Guaranty of Mem
bers' independence

New York. March 27.-Seven amend.
ments TO the league of nations cove
nant, intended primarily by ter
author TO insure the American Conti-
nent against European aggression, to
protect the United States from en-.
forced administration of foreign ter.
ritory and to revoke the trouble
breeding" guaranty OF the existing
political Independence of member ma.
tions. were proposed here last night by
Charles f. Hughes
Minor suggestions by Mr.. Hughes
were that definite limitation he
placed upon the leagues field of in.
curry, reserVng TO the several nations
exclusive control Of immigration,
tariffs and other internal problems; !;
that provision he made for the with.
drawal of state from tn" Organizat ion
and that what he termed an am
biguity as TO the requirement Of
unanimous decisions by the league be
cleared up.
In an address before the Union
League Club reviewing eXhaustively
the terms of the proposed covenant.
Mr.. Hughes declared that the Ameri.
can people were entitled to a better
piece OF work" He said a mistake
mad been made in giving the impress
sion that the document was a finished
product with a good reason for its
choice OF expressions when later It
was found necessary to excuse it as
hasty draft which required revision" :"
He added that much would have
been gained" If at the outset part
or the time expended in its praise had
been devoted TO its correction"
Suggested Amendments
The Hughes amendments" suggest.
ed aside from formal improvements"
We're stated as follows:
First. Explicit provision as to the
requirement Of unanimity in de
cision.
Second. Suitable limitation as to
the field of the leagues inquiries and
action. so as to leave no doubt that
y the internal concerns of states such
as immigration and tariff laws, are
not embraced
Third. Providing that no foreign
power shall hereafter acquire by
conquest, purchase or in any other
way any possession on the American
continent Or the islands adjacent
& thereto
Fourth. Providing that the settle
ment of purely American questions
Z shall be remitted primarily to the
American nations. and that Euro
pean nations shall not intervene rn.
less requested TO do so by the Ameri.
can nations.
Fifth. Omitting the guarantee OF
the existing independence of mem.
ber nationsl of Article Y.
Sixth. Providing that no member
of the league shall be constituted a
mandatory without its consent. and
no European or Asiatio power shall
be constituted a mandatory of any
American people.
Seventh. Providing that any mem.
Der of the league may withdraw at
its pleasure on specified notice.
Mr.. Hughes criticised severely the
tenth article of the covenant. under
which the high contracting parties
undertake to respect and preserve as
against external aggression the terri
torial integrity and existing political
Independence of all states members of
the league" Conceding the argument
that this clause had been included to
protect the nations Jorn of the war,
the speaker regarded it as trouble.
breeder and not ''peaCe-maker."
if Allowance Is Wanted
'-It makes no allowance" he said.
''for changes in the makeup of mem
ber nations, which may be found ad-
yisablc and ascrbes soundness of
Judgment to the Peace Conference in
erecting states and defining bounda res
which nobody in the history of the
world has ever possessed"
Mr.. Hughes declared that he saw
Neither severity nor hardship" in the
articles relating to Investigations and
recommendations by the league for re-
duction of armaments. He regarded
the provisions for arbitration as con.
fined generally to existing practice
and falling far short of any positive
assurance against war"
Emphasizing that submission of in
ternational disputes 10 the league au-
thority is optional. as also is the de
cision of member nations to go 20 war
10 enforce an award Of the arbitration
authorities made after such a sub.
mission, he found merit, however. in
the "cooling.Off'' process set up in the
allowance of three months for con.
{ sideration of the arbitrators' decision
diSnIItaDts On to