The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-02-14
WHAT THE LEAGUE DOES
The Plan of Society of Nations
Summarized Here.
Composition of the league of ma

Composition of the league of ma
tons: Administration shall be in the
hands of a body of delegates, an ex-
ecutive council and permanent sec
retariat. Each member nation shall
have one vote in the body of dele
gates which shall meet at the league
capital at stated intervals. The ex-
.ecdtive council shall consist OF repre-
sentatives of the United States, Great
Britain, France, Italy and Japan,
states to be selected by the body of
delegates. The secretariat shall COM
prise a secretary general ard staff
of assistants to be selected by the ex
ecutive council. President Wilson will
summon the first meeting of the body
of delegates and the executive council.
Membership: Nom member ma
tions upon giving guarantees of their
intention to observe the league laws
shall be admitted to membership upon
tYo-thirds vote of the member ma
tions.
Preservation of peace: Members
are required to submit disputes to the
executive council. which may refer the
problems to an international court of
justice. The award will be MADE
within six months and the disputants
are bound not to resort to war for at
least three months after that. If a
disputant fails to accept the award the
executive council shall decide on
measures necessary TO- enforce it.
These may take the form of a sever
ance of diplomatic rel stions, an eco
nomic blockade or use of armed forces
under direction of the executive coun-
Gil. In case of dispute between a
member and a non-member nation,
the latter shall be invited to assume
the obligations of membership and
submit the provisions for averting war,
with the alternative of facing the same
1vaa rlf
Disarma ment: The executive coun-
ell shall formulate plans for reduction
of ornaments to the lowest point con-
sistent with national safety. Private
manufacture of war materials will be
prohibited. A permanent commission
shall be established to advise the
league on military and naval questions.
Colonies: German colonies in the
Pacific and Africa shall be placed I'M
der protectorates of nations best suit
ed politically and geographically to adj
minister them. Slave and liquor traf-
fic shall be abolished in African terri
tories affected.
Turkish territories: Certain former
Turkish territories shall be given the
benefit of protectorates on the basis of
self-determilsation.
Labor reforms: A permanent bu-
reau of labor shalt be established to
secure and maintain fair and humane
conditions of labor in member nations
and the countries with which they are
associated commercially.
Freedom of the seas: The league
shall secure and maintain freedom of
transit and equitable treatment for the
commerce of all nations. \
Secret treaties: All previous obliga-
tions entered into by member nations
inconsistent with the laws Of the
league are abrogated. Future treaties
must be filed with an international
bureau of general treaties and given
full publicity
Amendments: Amendments to the
league constitution are effective when
ratified by the states represented on
the executive council and three-fourtns
of the states represented on the body
of delegates