Omaha daily bee., 1919-03-31
ROOT SUGGESTS
f. AMENDMENTS
T0LEACUE PLAN

tContinued From Page One.)
must not be regarded as irrevocable,
and favored its revision when the
world is less subject to exciting and
disturbing causes" And at the
time Of revision, or thereafter upon
a years notice, he said, any member
should have the right to withdraw.
United States "Cannot Quit"
With Great Britain, France, Italy
and Belgium, whose populations are
less than l30,000,000, Confronted
with the vigorous and warlike peo-
Piles of Germany, German Austria,
Hungary, Bulgaria, Russia and Tur-
key, numbering 2S0,000000, and fast
returning to barbarism and the law
less violence of barbarous races"
Mr.. Root asserted, The United
States cannot quit. 1t must go on
with the performance of its duty"
For this reason he advocated the re-
tention of article 10, guaranteeing
the independence of all the league
members, with the reservation that
after five vars any signatory may
withdraw from the obligation.
The former secretary regretted
that the senate was not convened
Immediately after March 4 TO per-
form its duty" of discussing the
project, pointing out that with the
president and Secretary Lansing
members of the American delegation,
there would be no executive official
to supervise the negotiations from
the usual vantage point Of the pres
ident and secretary of state passing
upon the work of subordinates at
tending an international conclave.
New Arbitration Article.
The former secretary's suggested
amendments, annexed to his letter to
Chairman Hays, follows:
|. Strike out article XIII (relat-
ing to arbitration) and insert the
following:
The high contracting powers
agree to refer to the existing per-
manent court of arbitration at The
Hague, or to the court of arbitral
justice proposed at the second Hague
conference when established, or to
some other arbitral tribunal, all dis
putes between them (including those
affecting honor and vital INTEREST,"
which are of a justiciable character,
and which the powers concerned
have failed to settle by diplomatic
The powers so referring |
to arbitration agree to accept and
give effect to the award of the |
tribunal.
Disputes of justiciable character |
are defined as disputes as to the |
of a treaty, as to any |
question of international law, as to
the existence of any fact which, il
established, would constitute
breach by any international obliga-
ton, or as to the nature and extent
of the reparation to be made for any
such breach.
Any question which may arise as
to whether a dispute is of a justic
able character is to be referred for
decision to the court of arbitral
justice when constituted, or, until
it is constituted, to the existing per-
manent court of arbitration at the
Plague. ..---
Provides for Revision.
The executive council shall cal1 /
general conference of the powers to
meet not less. than two years or
more than five years after the sign
ing of this convention for the pur-
pose of reviewing the condition of
law, and of agreeing
upon and stating in authoritative
form the principles and rules
thereof.
Thereafter regular conferences for
that purpose shall be called and held
at stated times.
American Reservation.
Immediately before the signature
Of the American delegates insert the
following reservation:
Inasmuch as in becoming a mem