The Broadus independent. [volume] (Broadus, Mont.) 1918-1919, 1919-05-01
PARIS PEACE CONFERENCE is
AGAIN CONSIDERING THE
LEAGUE OF NATIONS
NUMEROUS CHANGES MADE
Provision for Withdrawal From League
Is Incorporated in Revised Draft
Geneva Named as Seat of
League Government

covenant Oh tlle league OF nations, as
it will be presented at Pa9is today
to the peace conference in plenary
session, was made public last night
by the state department. It's essen
tial features. including important
amendments designed to meet criti-
cisms in the United States of the orig
inal draft, already had been disclosed
through an official summary issued
two weeks ago when the revision was
completed.
Attached to the text, however, is
the hitherto unpublished annex re-
ferred to in the covenant in which are
named the 81 states including the self
governing British dOminions which are
to be the original members of the
league of nations. and 13 states to be
invited to accede to the covenant. The
original members are all the nations
which declared war on Germany, and
in addition. the new states of CZecho-
Slovaiia and Poland. Those invited
to become members by acceding to
the covenant are the three Scandina-
Wan countries, The Netherlands, Spain,
Switzerland. Colombia, Paraguay, Sal
vador and Venezuela.
Canada was not represented in the
conference of neutrals at Paris and,
as was expected, does not appear in
the list.
Provision is made in the covenant,
however, for the admission to the
league of any fully governing
country which will give required
guarantees, upon Il twO-thrds vote of
the assembly, composed of representa-
tivcs of the member nations.
Acts Through Assembly.
AS in the original document, the
covenant provided that the league
shall act through an assembly, in
which each state shall have one vote
and not more than three Celega ties,
and a council, comprising for the pres
ent one representative of each of the
five great powers and each of four
other powers to be selected from time
to time by the assembly. Members of
each class represented on the council
may be increased by unanimous con-
sent of the council and majority of
the assembly.
Publication of the text discloses that
the official summary quoted verbatim
the new articles recognizing the Mon
roe doctrine.
It provides that nothing in the cove
nant shall be deemed ''to affect the
validity of international engagements
such as treaties of arbitration or re-
gional understandings like the Mon
roe doctrine for securing the main
tenance of peace"
This was the amendment for which
President Wilson made successful
fight at the same time the Japanese
delegation to the peace conference
sought vainly to have Il race equality
provision inserted in the covenant.
Changes suggested in criticisms in
the United States senate resulted in
adoption of provisions for withdrawal
of member nation upon two years
notice after fulfillment of the league
obligations, for exemption of domestic
ton, that manufactures over German
colonies or former Ottoman domains
shall be given only to nations willing
to accept them; leaving it to member
states to decide what armed force if
any it will contribute to the force re-
quired by the league to enforce its
mandates and making it clear that
member states individually will pass
upon proposed limitations upon their
ornaments.
With notifications the new draft
includes all the provisions for the
submission to the council of interna-
tional disputes, for inviting non-mem-
Der nations to accept the obligations
of members for the purpose of adjust
ing disputes, and for breaking eco
nOmic relations or the use of armed
force in dealing with state which has
broken the covenant and thereby com
mitted San act of war against the
league"
Except in certain specified instances
unanimous agreement is required for
all decisions. In the provisions for
the settlement of disputes, it is SET
f".th that the votes must be unani-
nous, excepting the representative of
the parties to the dispute.
Geneva, Switzerland, is named as
the seat of the league. where the sec,
rotary general will maintain headquar
ters