THE ORIGINAL DRAFT AS PRESENTED TO THE COMMISSION TOGETHER WITH THE COVENANT AS FINALLY REPORTED AND PEACE CONFERENCE ALSO THE PRESENTATION SPEECHES OF THE PRESIDENT OF PRESENTED BY MR. PITTMAN WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE ADDRESS OF PRESIDENT WOODROW WILSON BEFORE THE PRELIMINARY PEACE CONFERENCE UPON PRESENTING THE ORIGINAL DRAFT FOR THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS. Mr. Chairman, I have the honor, and assume it a very great privilege, of reporting in the name of the commission constituted by this conference on the formulation of a plan for the league of nations. I am happy to say that it is a unanimous report, a unanimous report from the representatives of 14 nations-the United States, Great Britain, France, Italy, Japan, Belgium, Brazil, China, Czechoslovakia, Greece, Poland, Portugal, Roumania, and Serbia. I think it will be serviceable and interesting if I, with your permission, read the document as the only report we have to make. (President Wilson then read the draft. When he reached article 15 and had read through the second paragraph, the President paused and said:) I pause to point out that a misconception might arise in connection with one of the sentences I have just read-" if any party shall refuse to comply, the council shall propose measures necessary to give effect to the recommendations." A case in point, a purely hypothetical case, is this: Suppose there is in the possession of a particular power a piece of territory or some other substantial thing in dispute, to which it is claimed that it is not entitled. Suppose that the matter is submitted to the executive council for recommendation as to the settlement of the dispute, diplomacy having failed, and suppose that the decision is in favor of the party which claims the subject matter of dispute as against the party which has the subject matter in dispute. Then, if the party in possession of the subject matter in dispute merely sits still and does nothing, it has accepted the decision of the council, in the sense that it makes no resistance, but something must be done to see that it surrenders the subject matter in dispute. In such a case, the only case contemplated, it is provided that the executive council may then consider what steps will be necessary to oblige the party against whom judgment has been given to comply with the decisions of the council. (After having read article 19, President Wilson also stopped and said :) Let me say that before being embodied in this document this was the subject matter of a very careful discussion by representatives of the five greater parties, and that their unanimous conclusion is the matter embodied in this article. (After having read the entire document, President Wilson continued as follows:) It gives me pleasure to add to this formal reading of the result of our labors that the character of the discussion which occurred at the sittings of the commission was not only of the most constructive but of the most encouraging sort. It was obvious throughout our discussions that although there were subjects upon which there were individual differences of judgment with regard to the method by which our objects should be obtained there was practically at no point any serious differences of opinion or motive as to the objects which we were seeking. Indeed, while these debates were not made the opportunity for the expression of enthusiasm and sentiments, I think the other members of the commission will agree with me that there was an undertone of high respect and of enthusiasm for the thing we were trying to do which was heartening throughout everything. Because we felt that in a way this conference did entrust into us the expression of one of its highest and most important purposes, to see to it that the concord of the world in the future with regard to the objects of justice should not be subject to doubt or uncertainty; that the cooperation of the great body of nations should be assured in the maintenance of peace upon terms of honor and of international obligations. The compulsion of that task was constantly upon us, and at no point was there shown the slightest desire to do anything but suggest the best means to accomplish that great object. There is very great significance, therefore, in the fact that the result was reached unanimously. Fourteen nations were represented, among them all of these powers which for convenience we have called the great powers, and among the rest a representation of the greatest variety of circumstances and interests. So that I think we are justified in saying that the significance of the result, therefore, has the deepest of all meanings, the union of wills in a common purpose, a union of wills which can not be resisted and which, I dare say, no nation will run the risk of attempting to resist. Now, as to the character of the document, while it has consumed some time to read this document, I think you will see at once that it is very simple, and in nothing so simple as in the structure which |