The Washington times., 1919-04-29
PRESIDENTS ADDRESS IN
PRESENTING COVENANT

PARIS, April 29.-Following is th'
text of President wilson's speech be-
fore the plenary session OF the peace
conference yesterday:
Mr.. President: When the text
of the covenant OF the league OF
nations was last laid before you
had the honor of reading the
covenant in extenso. / VIII not
detain YOU today to read the
covenant as it has now been al
tered but will merely take the
liberty explaining to you some OF
the alterations that have been
made.
The report OF the committee
has been circulated. You your
selves have in hand the text OF
the covenant and will no doubt
have noticed that most or the
changes that have been made are
mere changes OF phraseology, no
changes OF substance, and that'
besides that, most OF the changes
are intended to clarity the oocu-
uen+ or. rather, to make eN
pIicit what we all have assumed
was implicit in the document as
il was originally presented 10 you.
RUt 7 shall take the liberty OF
calling your attention to the ne"
features. such as they are. Some
of them are considerable, the rest
trivial.
Door Open To Neutrals'
The first paragraph of Article
is new. In view of the inser-
ton Of the covenant in the peace
treaty specific provision as TO the
sirnatories OF the treaty. VINO
would become members or the
league and also as TO neutral
states to be invited TO accede 10
the covenant, were obviously nee
essary. The paragraph also pro-
vides for the method by Whlch
neutral state may accede TO the
covenant.
The third paragraph OF Ar
ticIe I is new, providing for the
Withdrawal of any member OF the
league on a notice given OF Two
years
The second paragraph OF Ar
ticIe " is new, providing for
possible increase in the council
should other powers be added to
the league of nations whose pres
ent accession is not anticipated
Unanimous Vote Provided.
The last two paragraphs Of Ar
ticle w are new, providing spe-
cifcaIly for one vote for each
member of the league in the coun-
Gil. which was understood pc
fore. and providing also for one
representative of each member or
the league.
The first paragraph OF Article
V is new. expressly incorporating
the provision as to the uPanimity
of voting, which was at nrst
taken for granted.
The second paragraph OF Ar
ticle VI has had added TO 1t that
majority of the assembly must
approve the appointment Of the
secretary general.
The first paragraph or Article
VII names Geneva as the seat or
the league, and is followed by
second paragraph which gives the
council rover TO establish the
seat of the league elsewhere
should it subsequently deem 1t
necessary.
The third paragraph or Artlcle
VII is new, establishing equality
OF employment .of men and
women, that is to say, by the
league.
JustIeIabIe Disputes Defined.
The second paragraph Of Article
XIII is new, inasmuch as it un-
dertakes to give instances Of dis
putes which are generally suit
able for submission to arbitra-
tion, instances OF what have lat
terly been called "justiciable'
questions.
The eighth paragraph OF Article
XIV is new. This is the amend
ment regarding domestic jurisdic-
tion, that where the council finds
that a question arising out OF an
international dispute affects mat
ters which are clearly under the
domestic jurisdiction OF one or
other of the parties, it is to re-
port to that effect and make no
recommendation.
The last paragraph OF Article
XVI is new, providing for an ex-