The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1919-02-08
LEAGUE WON'T
BREAK PACTS,
. SAYS BALFOUR
BFItls1 Foreign Minister Declares
Alliances viii Be
Permitted.
OK PART OF CONSTITUTION
Preamble and TWO of the Articles
Agreed to by Committee-Satis-
factory Progress Made on
Other Parts of Draft.

81 Pdr1S, FeD. .O.--AiuaUceS UeLWeen
the various nations will not be affect
ed by the existence of the society of
nations now in process of formation,
1t was declared by Arthur J. Balfour
to newspaper interviewers. The for
eign secretary was asked the direct
question as to whether the formation
of the world society would involve the
abrogation Of alliances.
'gThe constitution of the league Of
nations" responded the foreign secre-
tary, Twill involve no modification of
the treaties of alliance previously con-
Guided.
"As to the question whether special
coalitions Of two or several peoples
could be formed aside from the
league" Mr.. Balfour added, "the con-
ference alone can decide"
Agree on Two Articles.
The special committee which Is
drawing up the constitution of the
league of nations agreed Professionally
to the preamble and two of the arti-
ticles, it was officially announced.
satisfactory progress Is being made
on other parts Of the draft.
While there is no authoritative in
formation on details of the project
distribution of printed drafts among
the members has disclosed the main
features, and these can be summar'
lied as follows:
Two main plans have been pre-.
sented. which The IpeHahars Of fhe
commission regard as embOdying the
American views, though both plans
are composite containing the best fea-
lures from various sources, American,
British, French and italian.
First Plan Democratic.
Both plans are being considered to-
gether. In its original form the first
plan is generally regarded as more
democratic and more acceptable to the
small powers, whereas the revised plan
eliminates them from the executive
branch of the proposed organization
of an international supreme council,
with a fundamental basis of codified
international law.
The first plan had three main fea-
lures:
First-A legislative branch, on which
the great and smail nations were
equally represented, each as unit.
Second-An executive branch con.
sisting 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
total membership of nineteen, of
whom ten represented the great pow.
ers, and nine represented the small
powers.
Third-Arbitratio was provided for
the determination of international is
sues. In case Of a dispute between
two nations, each nation named ar
bitrators, and these two selected a
third arbitrator Three arbitrator
thus chosen constituted tribunal for
determining the issues.
Favored by Small Nations.
The foregoing, on broad lines, is
the project which meets with most IA
vor among the small nations, as they
would be represented both on the leg
islative and executive branches.
1t is to be noted that such an organ
ization would follow somewhat the
lines of the present peace conference,
as the Legislative branch is analogous
to the plenary session of the confer
ence, while the executive branch is
similar to the council of the great
powers now holding daily sessions.
The revised plan makes several i'm
portant changes. The legislative
branch remains the same, with the
great and small nations represented.
The executive branch is modified,
however, SO as to consist chiefly Of the
great powers, with two representatives
from each, to which others from the
small powers may be added when in
terests especially affecting them are
at issue.
Court supplants Arbitration.
The third branch is entirely changed,
to eliminate the plan of arbitrators
and substitute an executive council of
the great powers as tribunal for
judging international issues analogous
to the international supreme council.
It 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
the great powers, whereas the small
powers prefer the plan giving them a
status on the executive branch and
arbitration as means Of judicial de.
termination, instead of a tribunal OF
the great powers.