Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-02-15
WILSON PRESENTS
TEXT FOR LEAGUE
TO PEACEMAKERS
Reads Covenants Amid
Statesmen of Allied
Powers of World.
A.,
ASSERTS PLAN GUARANTEE
AGAINST WAR AGGRESSION
Document Is Not Strait-Jacket,"
He Tells Assembled
Delegates.
LORD ROBERT CECIL IN SPEECH
with Premier OF Italy, Declares
Much OF Praise for Society
Goes to President. t&
ASSERTS PLAN GUARANTEE
AGAINST WAR AGGRESSION
4cRD ROBERT CECIL IN SPEECH
With Premier OF Italy, Declares
Much OF Praise for Society
Goes to President. t8
Prcsidcnt Wilson's speech In pre-
"entinG the covenant OF the So
ciefy OF nations In printed in full ON
pnnH " '' -. -
lny Associaird Prcss. |


PARIS. Feb. 14.-President Wilson
was the central figure of the plenary
peace conference. which opened at
$3.50 o'clock this afternoon. when. in
person, he read the covenant estab-
fishing league Of nations. There was
added interest in the session. as 1t was
the last gathering of the delegates
prior to tho Presidents departure, as
well as being the occasion OF pre-
senting the document with which Ills
naino is identified
The President was received with mili-
tary honors as he arrived at the For
eign Office. and the large crowds which
had congregated gave him a cordial
welcome as he passed through. The
deieEa tes already were assembled when
ber. ''' E-,
The President was greeted by Pre-
mier Ciemenoeau. Foreign Secretary
Baifour and Viscount Miner Of Great
at the. head of the table. There was
little .formality Premier CIemenceaI,.
"ho is president of the conference,
Salled the conference to order. and
the gathering. 49,
PRESIDENT WILSON READS
DRAFT OF SOCIETY,"
II have very great pleasure" said
President Wilson. as he began, Tin
nresenting the report OF the commits.
sion which has framed the constitu-
ton of a league of nations. ana
particularly happy to be ahle to say
IL IS unan imous report. signed by the
;he committed"
PRESIDENT Wilson spoke earnestly,
but without oratorical effect.
President Ges. eontinned 1enors is can make, the
document Itself" -
q, Thereupon lie read from a printed
,in,is sheet the the constitution OF the iengue.
ing with the closest attention. Ts-sS
While the President was reading,
Mrs; MIS-, Wilson. accompanied by the Presi-
place back of the delegates table
HEADING IS FOLLOWED
BY WILSON'S ADDRESS
The reading continued for thrtv-
I'VE minutes without Interruption or
napniause. AZ As he closed. the President
what had been accomplished. The do
alterations OF the commission had been
most instructive. and throughout the
Ing accomplished. he said.
me result. said President Wilson,
embodied the judgment OF fourtaen
nations represented on the commission,
and these fourteen nations were 4
representative group of the courerencer
''Tnis is union Of will in n common
prrpos"." the President procesdeJ.
y; !S union which cannot be ;e-
sisted and dare say, one which no
nation WI! attempt to resist"
The l're sident pointed that .he docu-
meht was no strait itjaciet., Ii
vas "!nat e and not vehicle af>mlsht,
nnd ne SAD. a 1t wa was yet yet to be aeve:ope.i,
the clothes put on Il. While elastic
ye; IL was definite
DECLARED DEFINITE AS
GUARANTEE OF PEACE
IT is definite" continued President
wilson. las Al guarantee OF per,a 1T
is cehrite as guarantee aSains. ae-
gression.. 1t is definite against a r..
nrwal OF such a cataclysm as has lust
shaken civilization. u.
The President smoke with nspecial
EMPHASIS as he referred TO tn,, wrongs
committed against helpless peoples. -
,,rl rnrrr ir is is one esfsciaily notaie fea-
arc done with anneSations of helpless
peoples. at times accomplished in the
past for the purpose OF the exploiting
recognize that these helpless commune
ties are first to be helped and developed
and that their own interests and we'll
advantage to the mandatory Intrusted
with their case" w
Too often in the past the President
ADDED the world had seen the lands
Tor political purposes.
DRAFT rs DECLARED TO
BE HUMAN DOCUMENT
And So" he said. while this is a
practical document, II is above ALA
human document. II Is practical. and
at ne same time 1t is designed to
purify to rectify. to elevate'' go
President Wilson closed his address
at $3.50 o'clock. having read and spoken
just one hour. An interpreter then
proceeded to render n discourse. which
occupied another hour.
Lord Robert Cecil. head OF the Brit
iSn commission on the league OF na-s
ttons. followed the interpreter In an
earnest speech. 1t was good omer,,
said Lord Robert that this document
had been laid before the world before
finally enacted, SO that people every
where could advise upon and criticises
T. The problem had been one of grtas
difliculty, for IL was to preserve tha
peace OF the world with the least poe-l
eighty. S.s;se
ttnued, embraced two main princfniss:
nrst. no nation shall 60 to war until