Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-02-15

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which is taken TO indicate that the
question OF the conference on Princes
Islands will be taken up.
Colonel House will attend the coun.
Gil meetings regularly until the. Presi.
/ dents return to Paris.
Bourgeois Speaks for France
/ In presenting the views Of France
on the league of nations before the
Peace Conference yesterday. Leon
Bourgeois. French representative on
on the commission. spoke as follows:
IT rise to express the deep satisfa Ct ion
OF all. and of France more than any
other country, because she is among the
countries who have most suffered. 10
see the unity of our Wills and OF our
hearts in a passionate adhesion to the
principles of the league of nations That
act of faith we shall do in "A spirit of
cordiality and good will that has been
that Of the committee. Under the emin-
ent craftsmanship of President Wilson.
the committee has worked with all their
hearts 10 attain this great object
Lord Robert Cecil has said we now
present to the conference and to the
world the result of our work. but we
do not present II as something that IL
final, but only as the result OF an hon
est effort, to be discussed and to be ex-
amined, not only by the conference but
the public opinion OF the world.
Harmonic CIashinE Views
we are unanimous in our opinion
that this scheme must be presented TO
the world, and 1t resulted from our de
liberation. We must preserve the char
acter OF unanimity which its note had
given It. We still retain our rights when
further discussions take place to state
more definitely our views ON some de-
tails. Signor Orlando has said how
difficult it seemed at the beginning to
conciliate two apparently CONT dictory
principles--that of the sovereignty OF
nations and that of the limitations that
nations must accept in order to secure
the reign of right and justice. That
conciliation has taken place without
effort and we have demonstrated move
ment, as Signor Orlando said. by walk
ing.
I'VE rise to prevent the renewal of
war like that which we have just seen
we rise at the appeal OF all those who
have fallen to spare their offspring the
renewal of such an ordeal We are
persuaded that no war in the future can
be limited to a small area. The inter
dependence OF the different parts and
different interests of the world has be-
come such that no conflict can be limited,
II Is that the whole world may keep
itself from danger that we today have
ordained that right, and Justice must be
the basis of settlement in all the con-
ferences. In the view of just people
there are no small and no great States.
All are and all will be equal before the
principle OF international justice, and
st..s
cisions' the judges will sit, not as the
representatives OF one particular nation.
but as the representatives of iuterna-
tional right
This is a principle TO which we are
particularly attached. All the States
in consenting to submit to international
Justice take. at the same time. a definite
pledge to guarantee to each other the
integrity of their territories as estab-
lshed by the settlement of the present
peace treaty. and also to guarantee their
political independence against future
aggression. This is the object of our
scheme hope the means which are
suggested by it will allow us to attain
our object
Baron Maxine, of Japan, after ap-
proving the high purpose Of the league,
added that a proposal would be sub
mitted later which 1t was hoped would
receive favorable attention. The nature
of this proposal he did not make known,
but II IL supposed TO refer to an amend
ment sboiishinG racial distinctions in in
ternatiOnai AFFAIRS.
Premier Hughes. of Australia, asked IL
full opportunity was to be given for dis
cussion of the proposed league, and when
Premier Clemenceau replied that Presi-
dent Wilson had presented the document
with the expectation that there would be
the fullest opportunity for discussion,
but when this would occur would be de-
termined later.