Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-03-01

tached to the covenant; no information
| is given as to who these states are,
though surely they will include such
| Entente powers, IL any, as are not sig
natories as we'll as certain other states
neutral in the conflict now closing,
Central Allies Outcasts
''Third, those states which are neither
signatories nor protocol states and
which must, to be admitted to the
league, be prepared to give certain ef-
fective guarantees as to their intention
to be bound by their international OBJ
legations. These latter are outcast states
and presumably include the Central
Powers and their allies in the war.
Thus a league of nations in the sense
of all the nations is not created by TINS
document, ncr are the states members
Of the league treated as equals, as is
apparent and will be more fully shown
when IL is considered that the governing
body of the proposed league; namely.
the executive council Is made up OF rep
resentatives of only nine states.
"But the term league Is misnomer
in another and really vital matter. For
n league connotes q confederation, and
n confederation implies a right In the
several pa~ties to withdraw at their will.
But there Is no right Of secession within
the four corners OF this covenant
On the other hand. the association here
provided for is a union In the full sense
of that term, aS applied to our own
political institutions.
"Once in this union we remain there,
no matter how onerous its gigantic
burdens may become. No matter how
great the distaste and revulsion our
people may have for 1t. we must remain
members until either we persuade all the
states represented in the executive
council and three-fourths of those rep
resented in the body of delegates to bid
us depart in peace, or until the league
crumbles of its own weight or is de-
stroyed by its enemies, or until we fight
our way out against the British empire.
France, Italy. Japan and all the lesser
states they are able to persuade to Join
the league.
1T is well that all discussions of this
project should be had with the fore
going preliminary matters in mind"
Mr.. Knox then proceeded to describe
the powers of the various bodies as indi-
Gated In the league draft, criticizing the
document because it contains no provi-
sions whatever regarding the appoint
ment. removal. compensation or tenure
of the body of delegates who are to ex-
erecise these powers"
The executive council, made up OF
representatives of the British empire
France, Italy, Japan and the United
States, and of four other states to be
selected. Is obviously. he said, "The real
governing body of the league. vet such
essential matters as what shall be the
number of representatives from each
state, who shall fix the number, shall
the states be represented by an equal
number of representatives, what shall
be the manner Of organization and OF
voting. are not stated In the document
Neither does the document provide, y
he continued, 'for the appointment, re-
moval compensation or tenure of these
representatives. And yet this is the
body which is hereafter to determine
whether we. the people of the United
states, shall go to war, and what our
participation therein shall be.
No Principles for League Guidance
"Nor are these all the defects of the
instrument in respect of the operations
OF the executive council. There are alb.
solutely no principles, rules or regu.
lations laid down in the covenant BY
which this world-governing body is to
be guided.
1T am not unmndful of the fact thai
by the covenant preamble internationa
cooperation and international peace ant
security are to be promoted inter ALA
by the firm establishment of the under,
standings of international law as the
actual rule of conduct among govern
ments.'
"But this provision merely accentuate,
the difficulty, for there Is no universally
recognized body of international law
, and no provision Is made In the instru
ment for even an attempt to secure one
ITO sum up, the executive council II
legislature. court and, in large part
executive, all in one. A body clothed
with powers such as this Is an anachro
J nism. 1t belongs not to the enlightened
age of the twentieth century. but to th'
, days of the Medes and Persians
"a union more abhorrent to our ira
ditions. to our free institutions, to thu
trend Of all civilized government. coul'
} not be devised"
} OF the naval military commission ant
mandatory commission, he made tn
same objections to lack of provision 10
n appointment, tenure, removal and regula
: ton of the Labor Bureau. he OBJECTED
d to the pretention to equalize labor II
all countries. citing the fact that Franc
i already has given notice that she can
: not equalize with America.
$ FINALLY" he said, there Is the per
Q manent secretariat which apparently 4
to perform the ordinary secretaria
J. duties both for the body Of delegates an
: for the executive council. This Is tn
: machinery of the league. The mere mar
: ration I have made shows great gaps Il
n indispensable provisions and procedure
u / assume I need make no argument I
establish that before we become partie
: 10 any such plan as herein propose
. we must know something, must hav
some assurance on these vitality i'm
> portant matters now unprovided for. No
. can It be properly said that these ar
> mere details which have no place in
y great document, for all are of the kin
. Which are provided for IN our own cor
;, stitution which certainly is entitled I
!. rank fully with this covenant as
y novelty of plan and provision and as I
y Importance and far-reaching const
queDces.
e "The supercovenant of Article 10 OF
q ligates these parties, including ouI
r. selves, to respect and to,preserve agains
% external aggression the territorial IN
IS tegrity and existing political indepent
ence of all league members.
\; "It is to be noted that this guarants
d runs not alone to the existing territor
l. of nations. but to any territorial exter
5. 70 which they may hereafter attain.
E, ut should be here further observe
ID that II there Is a difference between n
hisl, contracting parties and the leaEu
20 then Il Is high contracting parties. Il
t eludins ourselves: and not the who