LEAGUE OF NATIONS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LIII, Issue 18, 23 January 1919, Page 5

LEAGUE OF NATIONS

PRESIDENT WILSON’S SCHEME,

(Australian and N.Z- Cable Association)

LONDON, Jan. 20,

The Exchange, Telegraph Agency’s Paris correspondent states that JPresident Wilson has completed the draft of' his scheme for the League of Nations. It is based on study of the ideas of the various Aliks, embodying important French and British features, and also some suggested in General Smuts’ recent pamphlet: The general result is rather a combination of ideas than exclusively President Wilson’s. It is understood that under President Wilson’s scheme the present Allies will form the nucleus of the League, to which every free nation shall have access. Ir provides for compulsory arbitration for disputes. President Wilson shows how the development of a new world spirit will prevent future wars with Germany and Russia. He considers that a peace settlement would be useless if it left half Eprope aflame. It is understood that Mr Lloyd George outspokenly agrees with President Wilson. The Morning Post states that the logical T'lnds of tfte Frenchmen refuse to Believ'fftTlat President Wilson’s idea will give them any protection. They fear that France may be sacrificed on the altar of impossible a«d impracticable ideals. The French idea is an alliance of the Allies against Germany. They refuse the idea of a league which would enable France to dispense with a standing army, though this is the basis of the American*, scheme. Britain’s conception of the league - is an elaboration of the old Concert of Europe. It will certainly be necessary to put many railways, straits, ports, and even countries under international control.

The Morning Post considers that probably, along the modest lines of international co-operation lies the best chance of testing the workability of the League of Nations.