The Cordova daily times. [volume] (Cordova, Alaska) 1914-1947, 1919-03-20

What is the nature, bearing and va
lfdity of the great document which Is
now circulating throughout the world?
The printed title is 1.-THE Covenant and
Draft of the Constitution of the League
of Nations" The word covenant
apparently applies only to the pre-
amble; but the idea of solemn mu-
tual agreement goes all the way
through. The world, of course, takes
notice of the fact that the paper is as
vet neither covenant nor constttu-
ton. but a report" "a plan for the
league of nations" It is, however, a
report unanimously signed by the rep
resentatives of fourteen nations, upon
whom alone, if adopted by them, the
restrictions and obligations will lie in
the first instance.
These signers are obviously very
UNEQUAL in Importance and power.
Alongside the five great powers
United States, Great Britain, France,
Italy, Japan-are two potentially great
powers-Brazil and China; five small
and weak powers, every one OF them
convulsed and shattered by the war
Belgium, Greece, Portugal, Rumania
and Serbia; and two-Czecho-Slova
and Poland-which are reservations Of
ancient but long submerged nations.
Till further definite action, the doc
ument remains simply draft submit
ted by committee for the considera-
ton of the peace conference, and
there subject to debate and amend
ment. When ratified in final form,
either by representatives authorized
so to do by their governments at home
or by the action of the United States
senate for the United States, it will
for the first time become binding
instrument.
When thus put in force it will be
conditioned by the five purposes of the
combination set forth in the preamble:
International cooperation, interna-
tional peace and security, establish
ment of international law maintenance
of justice and respect for treaty obi
cations.
What the Document Is Not
To many minds the publication is
great relief, because it reveals the pur-
pose to set up an association OF ma
lions and not world government.
Whatever the former expectations OF
q superstate with a approximation
which should make laws for all the
world, they have gone into the limbo
of out-dreamed dreams. The proposed
scheme involves hardly change in
the constitutions of any of the ma
lions concerned; and makes none in
the text, spirit or practice of the con-
stitution of the United States.
l. In the first place, no legislative
power is conferred or expected. The
only approach is the statement art
IID that the executive council may
deal with "any matter within the
sphere of action of the league, or at
fecting the peace of the world" From
beginning to end there is no allow
ance, hint or inference of local legis-
lation, except the duties (for which
the articles provide no enforcing sane
tion) of laying boycotts under some
circumstances Cart. XVI); of follow
ing out the recommendation of the
executive council that troops be pro-
vided in a certain contingency Cart.
XVD, and of prohibiting private man.
ufactures of the material of war.
These are restrictions of a nature
which the United States has through
out our history recognized in treaties,
and particularly in the numerous arbi-
tration treaties of recent years.
2. The covenant and constitution
do not establish or require world
league. AS a matter of fact, about
forty recognized nations are not in
Guided 1t is made up of the principal
states that have actually joined in the
war against Germany, with the addi-
ton of fragment of the old Austrian
empire and another fragment of the
Russian empire. That is, the organ
ization so far is simply formulation
of relations which have existed be-
tween the military allies, carried for
ward and enlarged to meet the neces-
stiles of peace.
OF course the league may be en-
larged by two-thirds vote of the ma.
ton members, with the two very sig
nif1cant limitations that membership
is limited to fully self-governing
countries" and to states liable to give
effective guarantees OF sincere inten
ton to observe international obliga'
TONS" Doubtless states like Siam, Ii
IBERIA and the Latin-American powers