Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-02-05
SUBMIT TWO PLANS
TO PEACE MEETING
First Affords Larger Participation
OF the Small Nations in
Worlds Affairs.
REVISION FAVORS BIG POWERS
Both Under Consideration at
Same Time-Prcsident Will
son Presides Over Session.
REVISION FAv0Rs BIG POWERS
! d. Associated Press.l

fNRiS. Feb. i.-President Wilson
presided tonight over the commission
Of the society OF nations. which had
before it the completed projeo. for
constituting the league. discussing Ii
article by article. While there is no
authoritative information concerninf,
Ire details of The project, the dis:ribu-
ton OF printed drafts among the mem
bcrs has disclosed the main features
and these can bc summed up as fol-
lows:
Two main plans have been presented.
which the members OF the commission
regard as cmbodyins the American
views. though both plans are com
posfte, containing he best features
from various sources. American, Brit
sh. French and Italian.
8oth plans are being considered to-
Eethcr. In its original form the first
plan is generally regarded as more
democratic. and. therefore, more ac-
ccptablc TO the small powers. whereas
The revised plan is not acceptable
to the small powers. AS /; eliminates
them from the executive branch of thc
proposed organization. and is a long
step toward the creation Of an inter
na,ional supreme court, with a funda
mental basis of codi,icd internatioh-:
law.
The frs, plan had three main fca-
lures:
I'irst-A Legislative branch. on
which the great and small nations were
equally represented. each as unit
RIG POWERS rREDOMINATE
~ ENECUTIN T. BR.<NCH PLAN
'Second-An eNecu:ive branch, consist
ing OF Two members from each OF The
great powers. United States. Great
Britain. France. Italy and Japan, and
nine members chosen from the small
powers. This gave the executive body
Il total membership, OF nineteen. OF
whom ten represented thc great power;
ard nine rep. esented the small powers.
Third--.Arbitration was provided for
the dcteim nation OF international is
sues. In case a dispute between two
::ations, each ma ion named arbittators
AID these two selected third aThtt. a
ter. The three arbitratovs thus chosen
constituted tripuna. Ior determining =
the issues.
Ths foregoing on broad lines, Is the
project which meets with most favor
ambng the small nations, as they would
Bo represented both on the legislati
and executive branches. 1t is TO be
noted that such an organ !Ea tion would
the present peace conference, rs the
Legislative branch Is analogous to the
picnary session OF the eontcrence
while the executive branch is similar
TO the council Of the great powers now
holding daily sessions.
REVISED PLAN NOT FAVORED
BY SMALLER NATIONS
The revised pian makes several i'm
por,ant changes. The legislative
great and small nations represented.
The executive branch is modified. how
ever. 30 s. TO consist chiefly OF the
great powers. with Two representatives
from cacn, 10 which from the small
powers may be added when interests
especially affecting them are at issue.
The third branch is entirely changed,
tors and substitute an executive coun-
Gil OF the greWt powers as L tribunal
for judging international issues. analo-
sous to Che international supreme
council.
1t is the two latter features which
are regarded by the small powers as
tending to concentrate the executive
and judicial branches in the hands OF
powers prefer the plan giving them a
status OH the executive branch. and
arbitration as means OF Judicial de-
termination. instead OF :. tribunal of
the grea, powers.
The question now before the COM
mission is one largely between the
sreot and small powers. Several OF
tho small powers are understood 10 be
prepar!ns amendments to the revised
plan. with view 10 giving them rep
reSen;a;ives in all branches Of the or
gan:za::on. crd il is said that the
tendency among the great powers Is
TO give every reasonable consideration
To these desires. while preserving to
the mnjor powers such voice as their
larger interests and responsibilities
warrants.
SEES HOPE FOH LEAGUE
IiECOMING BHIGIITER
The progress made by tho peace con-
terence committees, as ali outcome of
the energetic Anglo American cam
paign fer quicker action. has strength
ened the hope among the most optim-
istic that The league of nations may
bc established and that even certain
peace terms may he settled before
President Wilson leaves for the United
States.
Tho President and Premier Lloyd
George arc understood TO be agreed
tha; there should be no further DELAY
and they are urging speed. Some op-
position is being encountered in cer-
tain quarters. but the general senti-
mcnt OF the delegates who have en-
pressed themselves is for prompt ac-
tion.
Foreign Minister sonnino, of Italy.
ard Premier Veni:elns have been in
conference in an effort to negotiate
the onNictins territorial ambitions OF
Italy and Greece, particularly with
reference TO The claims OF Greece 10
islands in tho Aegean Sea 1t is un.
derstood that Italy would be willing
to turn over to Grcnce the islands
in the Aegean Sea which Italy took
from Turkey in the Tripolitan war, if
italy. in turn. is given mandatory
power for part of Asia Minor italy,
(Continued on Third Page)