The sun., 1919-03-20

economic and fnanciai sections to
walt until the general treaty Is
drawn covering all the belligerents
and embodying the League of Ma
tons.
When this view was communicated
to American circles It was speedily
made clear that tho President had no
intention of allowing himself and the
League Of Nations to be blamed for
holding up the programme. The Sun
was Informed positively on the best OF
authority that the covenant would be
ready by Thursday and that any delay
must rest upon other commissioners.
In short, President Wilson intends by
proceeding In camera to work out the
league covenant with Cecil. Bourgeois
and House. submitting It to the neutrals
on Thursday and prepared then to In
sert II In any treaty. AS THE Sum pre-
dtcted. this means that the suggestions
and criticisms made In America are to
result In few IL any changes.
Lord Robert Cecil's amendment pro-
viding that the delegates be chosen as
the constitutions Of the respective coun-
tries may provide will be included. Some
compromise may be be made on the
Bourgeois amendments; but what will
happen on Japap's insistence on the
racial equality principle 10 stIl a grave
question.
This brings up q question which Presi-
dent Wilson insisted, in his conference
with members of the Senate, COMMITTEES
on Foreign Affairs. was an internal one.
On, top Of this, however, he may feel that
Japan 10 moving plainly to get this
In the covenant. and It 10 one OF the few
demands the Oriental Kingdom has made
here.
It was emphasized to-day that the
Americans do not favor an armistics
plan, holding that II would not end the
present conditions, but they favor the
preliminary peace treaty; provided. how
| ever. that this contains the covenant OF
the league. On this point some OF the
British still hope that the President will
consent to an affirmation Of the prin-
cples embodied in the covenant. but the
Presidents position 10 adamant; he in
| sists that the text Of the covenant must
be incorporated In the treaty.
Appendix Is Suggested.
The only point unsettled apparently
10 whether the treaty shall be drawn In
one or two parts. the first containing the
military boundaries and other terms the
second comprising the text of the COW
enant, possibly In the form Of an ap-
psndix. to be signed simultaneously with
the treaty.
BY this plan the Germans could sign
the other terms but withhold signature
OF the covenant Even II they signed the
covenant part they would be subscribing
| merely to the principles ana would not
become members until the league by q
| two-thirds vote OF Its delegates admitted
them. An instrument 20 drawn. how
ever. would have to be ratified by the
Senate 80 far a. the United States IL
concerned.
This is the great point stressed by
many of the French newspaper which
daily are becoming more impressed By
the divided opinion In the United States
II is pointed out that an armistice does
not need ratification by America, while
. treaty would
Two Articles Being Revised.
The changes which the President Il
making In the text OF the covenant In
dictate that he was Impressed most BY
the criticism that the language was no,
clear in certain important articles anc
he is now working on these himself
Article XXI and Article X. 1t is under
stood, are undergoing revision Of phrase
ology. To this extent the President ap-
pears TO be yielding to the growing de-
mand In many Entente circles here that
some effort should be made toward q
compromise with American public opin'
lon and complaint that the covenant II
faulty.
! The expectation In all foreign circles
was that several weeks would be allowed
for discussion and changes, but that II
not possible under the Presidents plar
to railroad the covenant through the
Peace Conference in q few days. II
pursuance of that plan Holland. Den
mark, Switzerland and Sweden vert
called upon to-day for suggestions.
| Lord Robert Cecil. Col. r. M. House
Premier veniselos and Premier Vesnitcf
have been intrusted by the President
with the task OF hearing complaints
meanwhile he Is doing some private
planning on the league structure him
self in the evenings. II IL evident thai
| he must produce a covenant acceptable
to all the nations here in time for q
speedy treaty OF reace or meet storm
OF criticism on account OF the delay II
| restoring peace.
! Other controversial points may enable
tthe President to avoid some OF this re
sponsibility; for example, the Repara
lions Committee still Is deadlocked ant
unable to hx the amount which Ger
many can pay. Tho Americans asser
that France insists on viewing Germany
as she was before the war. while In fac
German trade already has been de
stroyed by the abrosation Of contracts
and the loss of shipping. Consequent,
the French are standing out for muci
higher figure than Is Justified by thu
facts.
The boundaries problems also must b
settled by the President In the next tw'
weeks. but as March'15 has passed with
out the important committee reports
" clear that the speed Up programme hal
been sadly disarranged and disconten
IL increas sing rapidly all over Europe.
LEAGUE TO IGNORE