Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1919-04-29
DRAFT OF THE COVENANT.
World Document as Revised Submit
ted to Peace Conference.

ted to Peace Conference.
The revised covenant of the league
of nations as it was presented at Paris
Sunday to the peace conference In pie
nary session yesterday made pubic
| by the state department at Washing
ton. Its essential features, including
important amendments designed TO
meet criticisms in the United States
of the original draft, already had been
disclosed through an official summary
issued two weeks ago when the reV1s-
ion was completed.
Attached to the text, however, is the
hitherto unpublished annex referred
to in the covenant, in which are named
the 81 states, including the self gov
erning British dominions. which are
to be invited to accede to the cove
Inant The original members are all
the nations which declared war on
Germany, and in addition the new
states of the Czecho- Slovakia and Po-
land. Those invited to become men,
bers by acceding to the covenant are
the three Scandinavian countries, the
Netherlands, Switzerland, Spain and
Persia and the American republics OF
Argentina, Chile Colombia, Paraguay,
Salvador and Venezuela.
Mexico 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 cove
nant, however, for the admission to
the league of any fully self governing
country which will give required guar
antees, upon a two-thirds vote. of the
assembly, composed of representatives
of the member nations.
AS in the original document the
covenant provides that the league shall
act through an assembly, in which
each state shall have one vote and not
more than three delegates and a coun-
Gil composed Of one representative
each of the five great powers and each
of four other powers to be selected
from time to time by the assembly.
Publication of the text discloses that
the official summary quoted verbatim
the new article recognizing the Mon
roe doctrine. 1t provides that nothing
in the covenant shall be deemed Ito
affect the validity of international en-
gagements such as treaties Of arbi-
tration or regional understandings like
the Monroe doctrine for securing the
maintenance Of peace"
Changes suggested in criticisms in
the United States senate add provis-
ions for the withdrawal of a member
nation upon two years notice after
fulfllment of the league obligations,
exempt domestic questions from the
leagues jurisdiction, provided that
mandatories over German colonies on
former Ottoman dominions shall be
given only to nations willing to accept
them, leave it to member states to de-
eide what armed force, If any, 1t will
contribute to the force required by the
league to enforce its mandates. and
make it clear that member states in
dividually will pass upon proposed linn
itations upon their ornaments.
With notifications the new draft
includes all the provisions for the sub
mission to the council Of international
disputes, for inviting non member ma
tions to accept the obligations of men,
bers for the purpose of adjusting dis
putes and for breaking economic,.re
tions or the use of armed force In
dealing with state which has broken
the covenant and thereby committed
IAN 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
forth that the votes be unanimous, ex-
cepting the representatives of the par
ties to the dispute.
Geneva, Switzerland, is named as
the seat of the league, where the sec
retary general will maintain head
quarters and where the council and as
sembly will meet at stated intervals,
unless some other place of meeting Is
designated.