The Washington times., 1919-02-27
PRESIDENT DEFINES
LEAGUE COVENANT

Continued from First Page.)
/ thus would strengthen instead Of weak
ening or destroy ing this traditional
American policy.
MandatOricS.
The provision for States mandatory
70 supervise, guido and guard former
colonies OF Germany or her allies does
not compel any nation 70 assume the
task Of a mandat tory against its will.
In this connection the President stated.
according 10 committee members, that
numerous requests have been made that
! the United States act as mandatory in
the cases Of number OF countries But
it will be with the greatest reluctance
! that this country undertakes such work.
the President is quoted as saying. He
! indicated. Il was stated. that Il this
country does become a mandatory. Ar
menia is likely to be the object OF our
| care.
! The mandatory plan was adopted.
committee members quoted the PreSj-
! dent as saying, because of the obvious
| difficulties Of outright anncXations.
Disarmament.
the Presidents view as stated by
members, upon U) the good faith and
honor OF nations in the league, and
(2) enforcement of the provision
against general private manufacture
of arms, munitions. and war material. !
Each natio mis- the Judge of the pro
gram necessary to insure its own SAFE
ty, and il is here, in the Presidents |
view, that unless absolute good faith |
l..
completely effective. But the pro
vision limiting production of war ma
terial will, in his opinion, go far to
aid disarmament by preventing the
equipping of a huge army or super
navy. Nothing in the constitution. ne
is quoted as saying, prevents the train.
ing of any number of men. but they do
not constitute an army unless armed
and equipped.
The President impressed his hearers
with the fact that once the program
for any nation has been ratified that
nation cannot of its own motion in
crease the program without flying IN
the face Of its solemn pledge as
league member.
Great Britain's Power.
The British empire will have five
votes in the full league, but only one
Britain's Self-governing colonial pos
sessions will get a separate vote in
the full league, but England alone
will have one vote in the council This
dispOses, in view of Administration
Senators. OF the argument that British
power would be increased out of all
proportion by creation of the league
under the proposed constitution.
Ireland.
For the present, Ireland will not
have a vote or be a member of the
league as a separate nation, commit
teemen understood. The President
indicated, they said, that Ireland's
future. status is a matter between
Ireland and the British government,
and that the league has no juTis6ic-
ton
Withdrawal From the League.
Any nation wishing to withdraw
from the league may do so by de-
nouncing the treaty. the President
said, according to members. This is
the same course any nation is at lib
erty to pursue with respect to any
treaty.
Amendment OF Constitution.
Amendment OF the constitution,
once it has been ratified, will be 1ifl
fcult, and not to be accomplished
upon the whim of any nation, the
President told his guests, they said
today. He also was quoted as saying
practically all neutral nations have
a desire TO become league
members.
He repeated and emphasized what
he said at Boston. that despair will
grip the world IL the United States
does not ratify the league plan.
Serious complications will occur
almost at once if the league is not
created, President Wilson told US,
said Senator Hitchcock, chairman CT
the Senate committee
He said the league already is in