The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-01-30
ARTICLE \ AGAIN. LEADING TOPIC AT. LEAGUES COUNCIL
Question of Elimination Yet Undecided in Absence of Suggestions on Cana
 dian Proposal

PARIS, Jan. 29.-The council of the League of Nations, which began it's session this morning, occupied itself promptly with one of the oldest and most familiar subjects on it's agenda Article 10' of the League of Ma tions covenant-and once again put off decision whether it shall be eliminated from the covenant until the states, members of the league. can send in any suggestions they may have to make concerning the Canadian proposal to amend the covenant by striking out the article or by modifying it by introducing an intcrprelative clause.
 This was the first meeting of the council since the last assembly of the League of Nations gave the small states majority in it, and the rep resentatives of some of the big mil nority states came to Paris for the session with some apprehension as to the announced aggressiveness of the new members on such important sub jects as occupation of the Ruhr and rerarations generally.
 Conferences prior to the session, however. dissipated these fears, and when Rene Viviani, who presided. cdlieu lHe cOuHcIl to OrueF IL was practically certain that no radical move would be made by any new member.
 If the Ruhr is mentioned, it will be only with the view of announcing that the League of Nations Is ready to undertake negotiations for a set clement of the reparations contro- versy whenever. the interested pow CTS ask the council to do so.
 The council today decided to ask the states belonging to the League of Nations to send in before July 1 their suggestions as to the Canadian pro- posal to amend Article 10 of the league covenant. One of the amend ments would provide that, when 1t is necessary to have recourse to Article 10, account should be taken of the geographical situation and the po- litical condition of the states con cerned. Another proposed amend ment would add to the article the following paragraph:
 Consideration By All Members
 "The opinion given by the council in such cases shall be regarded as of the highest importance and shall be taken into consideration by all mem bers of the league, who shall use their utmost endeavors to conform to the conclusions of the council. But no members shall be under obliga- tions to engage in any active war without the consent of it's Parlia- ment, legislature or other represen- tatiye body"
 As soon as the council receives the opinions it will compile and refer them to the juridical authorities for the preparation of a report to the next assembly.
 The project for mutual or general pacts or guarantees concerning con ditions Of proportional disarmament must await the report of the tenn orary mixed committee on arma- ments, which will meet in Geneva early in February. according to a de- cision of the council.
 The committee of the council which Is acting as an advisory board in financing Austria met this afternoon and heard reports from M. Thinner man of the Netherlands, who is to supervise the applications of reforms in Austria. According to M. Zim merman's report, all the conditions laid down as guarantees by the diff ferent states have been carried out and nothing now stands in the way of Austria negotiating loans. based on these guarantees. He added that news from the financial centers indi-
 
 crowns needed would be readily forthcoming.
 Article 10 of the covenant of the League of Nations is as follows:
 'The members of the league un- dertake to respect and to preserve as against external aggression the territorial integrity and political in- dependence of all members of the a In If sion or in cy e of any threat of dan ger of sucR aggression the council (of the LeaAue of Nations) shall ad- wise upon the means of which this obligation shall be fulfilled"
 LEAVES FOR CONVENTION
 A. W. White, state manager of the Kansas City Life Insurance company, in company with his wife, left Bir-
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