Perth Amboy evening news., 1919-03-25
HOW LEAGUE Of NATIONS WAS BORN

PARIS, France, Mar. 25:-Durins
The time when the League of Nations
covenant vas being written meetings
of nineteen men were held in Col.
Houses room on the third floor OF
the Hotel Crillon, the workshop OF
the American Commission to Nego-
tiate Peace. There the commission
on the League of Nations drew UP its
covenant.
There is nothing particularly inn
pressive about Room 351. 1t is the
kind of reception room that may be
found in many a French hotel. 1t is
large, high and decorated in the
rather elaborate style. But whatever
its appearance may be while it is be-
ing used for everyday purposes, it as
sunled a wholly different look during
the meetings Of the commission.
In the center of the room, a big
round table covered with red cloth.
Around the table. nineteen chairs for
the nineteen members of the COM
mission. Slightly behind yet scatter
ed through this circle Of seats, a
number of other chairs for French
and English t~ranslators. In the cor
ners, three or four desks, and around
the walls occasional chairs for any
secretaries whom the members might
care to bring with them. All in all.
the tables might have been laid for a
meeting of the cabinet or an Ameri-
can board of directors.
In this room the commission met
ten times during eleven days. They
came together in h morning, after
noon or evening at hour which
would not conflict with the program
of the Peace Conference itself whose
work envisaged their own, or with
that of the Supreme War Council
then engaged upon pressing questions
relating to the renewal of the armis-
ticc.
No Time Set for Days Work
IL might be figured out that the
length; but 1t is hardly appropriate
TO speak of averages in this connec-
ton. No time vas set by the COM
mission for the termination of the
days work. There was a job to be
done, and a mans own time was a
secondary consideration. Nobody
looked at the clock.
II appears uncomfortable hat n
constitution of the League of Nations
could have been drawn in thirty
hours. 1t was done, but the bald
statement is misleading. for it fails
to take certain things into account.
II says nothing, for instance. Of a
single e~xpedient by which the task of
the commission was cut clearly IN
half.
whether one spoke in English or
in French, it made no difference. As
he talked there might be heard the
low hum of interpreters translating
his remarks word by word and
phrase by phrase.
Every ome of the thirty hours
was made to work, and no time was
lost in the slow but prevailing process
of retranslation. -,
r. tai. IsF-Ar.g-l - rnnlFnn In all
che thought which had previously
been given TO the subject. Each n
of he statesmen who sat around the
table had formulated definite ideas
on the subject, and came to the con-
fercnces with an Illuminated and ac-
tive mind.
President Wilson presided owe ev-
cry meeting except the last.
The first meeting was very brief.
Tho commission came together; the
president spoke "A few words and lead
before them a draft plan which they
agreed to use as the basis OF discus
sion. SO day after day the draft was
held up to the light and criticised ana
ampiifed. At the end OF the eighth
meeting. the first reading was COM
plcted.
Though the project emerged un-
changed in principle, the draft had
been altered In a details n there
We're before the commission various
praGosed amendments and changes in
s~febo.ssalogy. 1t was decided to put
The covenant into the hands of a
dra ting committee composed OF NM.
Iarnaude. Lord Robert Cecil. Venice
los and Vesnitch for n thorough over
hapling.
u. S. Soldiers Set Type.
Late the following evening their
work was finished and the printing
press was busy all through the night
so that the amended draft might he
on he table the next morning. In
addition to the satisfaction of a job
well done, the American soldiers who
set he type and corrected proof n
ran the press. win treasure the letter
OF thanks which the president sent
them before he sailed.
The second reading began on Thurs
day at 10 o'clock. bnt by /, only the
FIRST seven articles had been finally
adopted. Perhaps with the assurance
thai the thirteenth could not fail to
marx another momentous event. the
presida1+ e~cnsed himself and left to