The Holly chieftain., 1919-03-27


An executive council Is provided
70 meet at least once year and to
acC Mnen the whole bOuy is not in
session. IKE the executive commit
Tee Oh n board of directors or trus-
tees. inis council is small, cOmpar-
aIiveiy, is easily assembled, and
possesses the real power OF the Or
ganlZatiOn. Five members of this
council are named in the cOnstitu-
tiOn, VIZ: Great Britain, France, the
United States, Italy and Japan.
-Four mora are to be selected in the
future.
There is to be permanent secre-
tary with headquarters, or sec
retariat," maintained in the home of
the league, with the diplomatic
| privileges of an embassy. This head
quarters is always open and at
work.
Independent self-gOverning colon
les, like Canada, Australia, South
Africa, are entitled to their dele
gates and their vote in the league,
cutive council.
All the members agree not to go
| to war without submitting their diff.
| LCl CllCCS W lhC
for discussion, and if necessary, for
arbitration. A court of arbitration
is provided for.
Indeed, even threat of war, in
any part of the world, in or out of
the league, is to be taken up and
dealt with by the league, to prevent
war. The territorial rights of every
nation are to be safeguarded
Such thing, therefore, as terri.
tory grabbing, OF such a thing as
arg nation acquiring even port
on American shores, would be
threat of war, and the league would
have to deal with it. Any nation
trying to secure a foot of soil in
America would infringe on the
Monroe doctrine and therefore be
threatening the United States with
war. The league would prevent it.
A commission on ornaments is
provided, whose duty it is to study
how much naval and land force is
necessary to the safety of any ma.
ton, now and hereafter, and to ad-
wise all the nations on that subject.
It's judgments, though not binding,
would be very powerful in effect; for
any nation persistently ignoring
these judgments would be threaten.
ing war, and the league would have
20 take notice accordingly.
II any nation threatens and pro.
ceeds to make war against another,
or If it refuses to abide by the arbi.
tratiOns OF the league court, all the
members of the league bind them
selves to sever diplomatic and
commercial relations with the Of
fender, in other words, to set up
boycott, q blockade against it. This
is q very heavy club. We have learn.
ed, in the late war, how drastic is
such commercial blockade.
The nations of the league do not
bind themselves to make way in con.
cert agains the offender, although
that is the logical result of his Of
tense. Each nation reserves the
right to declare war in its own way,
by its own NATIONAL assembly, or
whatever its constitutional manner
is. The United States, therefore,
could not be voted into a war by
majority of the council, or of the
larger league. 1t could only be vote
ed into war by it's own congress.
The sovereignty of no nation is
sacrificed or destroyed by the lea
que Its domestic concerns are not
subject to the arbitration of the
league or to its supervision in any
way, unless those domestic concerns
become threat of war, like over.
armament. The regulation of i'm.
migration could not come under the
leagues action, as any nation has
the right to say who shall and who
shall not come into it to live.
Withdrawal from the league is
not provided for; but it is difficult
to see how or why any nation could
be Justly coerced into remaining in
If it wished to go out. In operation,
the probabilities are that nations
will rather desire to come in than
be out.
A provision is made for league
commission on labor adjustment
among the various member nations.
The nations forming the executive
council, as well as those contemplat.
ing entering the league, are all de
mocracies. There is no question OF
kings and emperOrs outvoting re.
publics; for there is no real crowns,
no despots, left on earth. Indeed,
there is, or should be, very little
chance of questions coming to close
votes at all; for, if they should. and
If they were burning questions, the
league would be endangered. Sober
men, anxious for peace, like those
who would want to live under such
q league, would not permit uues.
tiOnS 90 4antn fo cO,no m ,,,nl, r.