The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1919-04-30
MANY IMPORTANT CHANGES
IN LEAGUE COVENANT
Hitherto Unpublished "Annex. Shows
Names Of 81 States Original Mem.
bcrs. Thirteen Ncutrals Invited TO

Washington, April 27.-Thc revised
covenant of the league Of nations. as
II VIII be presented at Paris tomorrow
70 me peace conference in plenary
session, was made public tonight by
ihc state department. It's essential
FEATURES, including important amend
mcnts designed to meet Criticisms IN
inc united States of the original draftG
already had been disclosed throue,
an Official summary issued two weeks
ago when the revision was completed.
Attached to the text, however, is the
hitherto unpublished annex" referred
10 IN the covenant, in which arc
named the thirty-onc states, including
the governing British dominions
which are to be the original members
OF the league Of nations and thirteen
nations to be invited to acccdc TO tho
covenant. The original members arc
all the nations which declared war on
Germany, and in addition the states of
Czccho- Slovakia and Poland. Those
invited to become members by acced-
ing to the covenant arc the three Scan
dinavian countries, the Netherlands,
switzerland, Spain and Persia, and
the American republic of Argentina,
Chile, Colombia, Paraguay, Salvador
and Venezuela.
Mexico was not represented in the
conference Of ncutrals at Paris, as
was excepted and does not appear in
the list. Provision Is made in the COW
ernant, however for the admission to
the league OF any fully self-governing
country which will give required guar
antees, upon a two-thirds' vote Of the
assembly, composed OF representatives
of the member nations
AS in the original document the COW
enant provides that the league shall
act through an assembly, in which
each state shall have one vote and not
more than three delegates, and coun-
Gil, comprising for the present one
representative Of each of the five great
f"">i' "iiu SoSil VI lOuI OlllcI powers
to be selected from time to time by the
assembly. Members Of each class rep
resented on the council may be in
creased by unanimous consent OF the
council and majority Of the assembly
Publication Of the text discloscs that
the official summary quoted vorbati
the new article recognizing the Monroe
doctrine. 1t provides that nothing in
the covenant shall be deemed ''to af-
feet the validity OF international en-
Samcments such as treaties OF arbitra-
ton, original understandings like the
Monroe doctrine for securing the main
tenancc Of peace" This was the
amendment for which President Will
son made n successful fight at the
same time the Japanese delegation to
the pcacc conference sought vainly to
have a race equality provision inserted
in the covenant
Changes suggested in criticisms in
the United States senate added pro-
visions for the withdrawal of a mem
Der nation upon two years notice af-
ter fulhllmcnt Of the league obligations
exempt domestic questions from the
leagues jurisdiction, provide that man
datorics over German colonies or for
NOR Ottoman dominions shall be given
only to nations willing TO accept them
leave ii TO member states to decide
what armed force II any It will con-
tribute to the force required by the
league to enforce its mandates and
make it clear that member states indi-
vidualy will pass upon proposed limi-
taIions upon their armamcnts.
With notifications, the ne wdraft in
cludes all the provisions for the sub
mission to the council of international
disputes, for inviting non-mcmbcrs to
the league obligations to appeal to the
members for the purpose Of adjusting
disputes and for breaking economic
relations or the use Of armed force in
dealing with state which has broken
the covenant and thereby committed
"an act Of war against the league"
Except in certain specified instances,
unanimous agreement Is required for
all declarations In the previous settle
ments OF disputes 1t Is set forth that
the votes must be unanimously except
ing the representatives OF Paris to dis
~