Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-01-07

mendation or decision Of other Pow
ers.
The United States Proposes Tha.
Moral Judgment and Public
Opinion be Substituted for Force
III. The United States will as
sumo no obligations under Article X.
in its present form in the Covenant,
unless in any particular case Con-
gress has authorized such action.
The United States will assume no
obligations under Article XVI. in it's
present form in the Covenant or in
its amended form as now proposed,
gress has authorized such action.
The United States proposes that
Articles X and XVI be either dropped
altogether or SO amended and chang
ed as 20 eliminate any suggestion of
general agreement to use coercion
for obtaining conformity to the
pledges of the Covenant.
The United States Will Assume No
Obligations Under the Versailles
Treaty Except as Congress Ap-
proves
i'll The United States will accept
no responsibility and assume no oblt-
cation In connection with any duties
imposed upon the League by the
peace treaties. unless in any particu-
lar case Congress has authorized
such action.
Membership be Open to Any Self
governing State
". The United States proposes
that Article of the Covenant be con-
strued and applied, or. If necessary.
redrafted, so that admission to the
League shall be assured by any self
governing State that wishes to join
and that receives the favorable vote
of two thirds of the Assembly.
The Continuing Development Of
international Law Must Be Pro-
vided For
V. AS further condition Of its
participation in the work and coun-
sells of the League, the United States
asks that the Assembly and Council
conesnt-or obtain authority--to be-
gin collaboration for the revision and
development of international law.
employing, for this purpose, the aid
of a commission of jurists. This
Commission would be. directed to
formulate anew existing rules of the
law of nations, to reconcile divergent
opinions, to consider points hitherto
inadequately provided for but vital TO
the maintenance of International JUS
tice. and in general to define the
social rights and duties of States.
The recommendations of the Com
mission would be presented from time
to time, in proper form for con-
sideration. to the Assembly as to n
recommending if not lawmaking
body.
Among these conditions Numbers
/ and ii have already been discussed.
Number III is n logical consequence
of the refusal of the United States
Senate to ratify the treaty of Eersail-
les. and of the settled policy of the
United States which is characterized
in the first reservation. Concerning
Numbers ~ and V this may be said:
Anything less than world confer
ence, especially when Great Powers
are excluded, must incur. in proper
ton to the exclusions, the suspicion
of being an alliance, rather than n
family of nations. The United
States can render service in empha-
sizing this lesson. learned in the
Hague Conference, and in thus help
ing to reconstitute the family of ma
tions as. it really is. Such n confer
ence or assembly must obviously
bear the chief responsibility for the
development of new parts of the law
of nations, devised to fit changed
and changing conditions. to extend
the sway of justice. and to help in
preserving peace and security.