The Evening Missourian. [volume] (Columbia, Mo.) 1917-1920, 1919-05-01
A BETTER LEAGUE

The revised covenant of the League
of Nations is, without a doubt, an i'm
provement over the first proposed con-
stitution, which was made public in
February. 1t should be. The first
covenant was an experiment. The
members of the drafting commission
had almost nothing with which to be-
gin. The fact that their work was so
good, rather than that it was so bad,
is remarkable.
Then, with two months of world
opinion and discussion to guide them,
the commission went to work again.
Its work this time is better. 1t is now
up to the world to decide whether the
new covenant is good enough to pro-
vide a workable basis for the League
of Nations.
Whatever basis certain American
opponents may have had for their con-
tention that the original covenant was
essentially a British rather than an
American product, there can be no
question as to the imprint of Amer
lean hands in the amended portions of
the proposed constitution. The inclu-
sion of the Monroe Doctrine, the pro-
visions for withdrawal from the
league, the notifications of the provi-
sions for disarmament, the removal Of
domestic questions from the jurisdic-
tion of the league, and the provision
making the acceptance of mandatories
optional-all are American in their
conception and all are designed to re-
move American opposition. other
changes are of minor importance.
The provision for the withdrawal Of
a member nation after two years no
tice, a part of Article l, is merely
concession in words. The League of
Nations must either stand as a whole,
or fall as a whole If it is a success,
no nation will want to withdraw; if
it is not a success, it will automatical-
ly dissolve itself The withdrawal
amendment may change the method
by which this dissolution may be
brought about, but it will have little
bearing upon the success or failure of
the league.
The amendment making necessary
a unanimous agreement by members
of the league before any order may be
put into execution should make the |
covenant safe enough for even the |
most skeptical of those persons who
fear alliances and balances of power |
within the league itself. Any ques-
ton which would obtain a unanimous
decision, they can but admit, must be
worthy one. The only danger is that |
the provision will hinder the body in
its transaction of business. 1t is fear
full to contemplate the result were the |
American Congress or state legisla- |
lures required to act with unanimity.
The modification of the article pro-
viding for the reduction of ornaments, |
making clearer the intention to per-
nit each nation to decide whether or
not it should accept the reduction pro-
gram, will be a comfort to France and |
Great Britain as we'll as America. 1t |
seeks gradual general disarmament,
and is probably following the only
method by which that end may be Sc
cured at this time.
The exemption of domestic affairs
from control of the league will doubt
less be a comfort to those Americans
who profess to fear an invasion of for
eign armies. It's practical advantages,
however, seem more likely to be in the
hands of Great Britain, whose Irish,
Indian and Egyptian questions are
just now the greatest domestic prob
lens" in the world.
The provision for willingness TO ac-
cept a mandatory is the last impor-
tant change made by the new text Of
the covenant 1t sets at rest the fears
of those Americans who trembled lest
greet American armies should be used
tc keep order in Tibet, Persia, Turkey
or China. fears which. though never
very real, were perhaps potent
The provisions for international
bodies for the furtherance of health,
science, better labor conditions and
the like are parts of the international
era. They were under way before the
outbreak of the war Their inclusion
under the care of the Leageu of Ma
tons will doubtless aid them, though
their exclusion would have by no
means destroyed them.
Finally comes the list of nations to
be charter members Of the league. Lit