Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1919-02-15

objects which we were seeking.
THE compulsion of that task was,
constantly upon US, and at nc point
wa there shown the slightest desire
to do anything but suggest the best
means to accomplish that. great OBJ
ject. There is very great significance.
therefore. in the fact that the result
was reached unanimously.
Fourteen nations were represent
ed, among them all of those powers
which for convenience we have
called h great powers and among
the rest a representation Of the great
est variety OF circumstances and in
%terests. So that I think we are justi-
fed in saying that the significance of
the result, therefore, has the deepest
of all meanings, the union of wills in
which cannot be resisted, n which
l dare say no nation will run the risk
OF attempting to resist.
Now as to the character of the
document. While it has consumed
some time to read this document, l
think you will sec at once hat it is
very simple. and in nothing 80 simple
as in the structure which it suggests
for a league of nations-a body of
delegates, an executive council and a
permanent secretariat.
When it came to the question of
determining the character of the
representation In the body of dele
gates, we were all aware of a feeling
which is current throughout the
, world.
"1nasmuch as I am stating 1t in
the presence Of he official represent
atives of the various governments
here present, including myself, I may
say that there is a universal feeling
that the world cannot rest satisfied
with the merely official guidance.
There has reached US through many
channels the feeling that if the de-
~liberating body Of the League of Ma
lions was merely to be q body Of Of
ficials representing the. various gov
ernments, the peoples of the world
would no be sure that some Of the
mistakes which p~re-occupied officials
had admittedly made, might not be
repeated. y
1T was impossible to- conceive a
method or an assembly 80 large and
various to be really representative Of
the great body of the peoples of the
it, we represent Is we sit around
this table, more than twelve hundred
million people.
you cannot have a representative
assembly Of twelve hundred million
people, but if you leave it to each
government to have, If it pleases. one
or two or three representatives.
though only with a single vote, it
may vary its representation from time
to time not only. but it may origin
ate the choice of its several repre-
sentatives.
WIRELESS HERE UN1NTEL~
IL1GIBLE.)
Therefore, we thought, that this
was a proper and a very prudent con-
cession to the practically universal
opinion of plain men everywhere
to a variety Of representation instead
of being confined to a single official
body with which they could or might
not find themselves in sympathy.
And you will notice that this body
has unlimited rights of discussion
I mean of discussion Of anything that
falls. within the field of international
relakions-and that it is especially
agreed that war or international mis-
understandings or anything that may
lead to friction or trouble is every
body's business, because it may
effect the peace Of the world.
And in order to- safeguard the
popular power so a Is we could,
of this representative body 1t pro-
subject is submitted, it is not to ar
bitration but to discussion by the ex-
.Iecutive council; it can, upon the in
~itiative Of either Of the parties to So
dispute. be drawn out of the 4execu-
tive council OF the large form of the
body of delegates; because through
this instrument we are depending
force and this is the moral force Of
the public opinion Of the world.
Armed force is in the background
IN this program, but it is in the back
ground; and If the moral force Of
the world will not suffice. the phys
ical force Of the world shall. But
that is the last resort, because this Is
not as a league OF war.
The simplicity Of the document
seems to me to be one of its chief vir-
tues, because, speaking for myself, I
was unable to see the variety of cir
cumstances with which this league
would have to. deal. I was unable.
Therefore; to plan all the machinery
differing and unexpected contingent
les. Therefore I should say Of this
document that It is not a straight
jacket, but a vehicle Of life.
"A living thing is born, and we
must see to it what clothes we put
on 1t. And yet, while 1t is elastic,
while it is general in its terms. it is
called to make definite. 1t is a defn-
lite guarantee Of peace. It is a defin-
lite garantee against the things which
have just come near bringing the
whole structure OF civilization into
ruin.
Its purposes do not for a moment
lie vague. It's purposes are declared
n its powers are unmistakable. It is
not In contemplation that his should
be merely q league to secure the peace