LEAGUE OF NATIONS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17547, 12 February 1919, Page 5

LEAGUE OF NATIONS

THE DRAFT CONSTITUTION. STILL UNDER DISCUSSION. PARIS, February 10. The League of Nations Drafting Committee further considered the drait constitution in its broad outlines. It is expected that this will bs completed to-day, and it will then be considered by the Full Commission, after which it will be submitted to the respective Governments. —A. and N.Z. Cable. PROPOSED PERMANENT COUNCIL. WITH AN ARBITRATION COURT. AN INTERNATIONAL PARLIAMENT. PARIS, February 8. The League of Nations Commission has decided that the league shall consist of a permanent council, resident in some city to be chosen by the leaguo, probably Brussels, Geneva, or The Hague. The League Council will consist of representatives of the five Great Powers and four smaller nations, three nations holding a veto. The nations belonging to the league would be permitted to designate their own representative on the council. Presidnct Wilson may be chosen the first chairman.

The permanent council will have power to appoint an Arbitration Court and other international bodies. There will probably also be a parliament, to which the nations will send delegates when the world's peace is threatened.

Freedom of the seas will not be discussed in detail by the Peace Congress. It will be considered by tho League of Nations when that body is formed. The nations signing the constitution of the League of Nations will reserve the right not to be bound by any clause considered incompatible with their, vital national interests. ..

NEW YORK, February 8. The constitution of the league's organisation will require that, before any declaration of war, the nation concerned -must have a popular expression on the question of peace or war.—A. and N.Z. Cable.

JAPAN A SPECTATOR.

NOT MEDDLING WITH EUROPEAN MATTERS. NEJW YORK, February 8. Japan remains a bystander in tlie League of Nations Commission conferences. _ She has not participated in any discussion affecting Europe and the Near East.—A. and N.Z. Cable.

JAPAN AND CHINA.

ECONOMIC PRESSURE.

PEKING, February 9. Mr Saito, the Japanese Military Attache to the Embassy, has been recalled, but he is remaining privately, and is endeavouring to induce the Chinese Government to prolong the Chino-Japanese military _ convention. The terms of the convention provide that it shall become inoperative at the cessation of the war, but Mr Saito contends that the war does not end till peace is declared. The Japanese Minister. Mr Obata, told the Chinese Government that if they resisted Japanese efforts to control the Chinese Peace Delegation in Paris the recent 20 million taels loan negotiated by Japan for China, whereof three million are already advanced, would be cancelled. —A. and N.Z. Cable.

PROBABLE FORM OF SCHEME. TWO COUNCILS FORECASTED. INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE. PARIS, February 10. (Received Feb. 12, at 1.25 a.m.) The League of Nations' scheme may be submitted to the Plenary Conference in a, series of resolutions. . The discussion will occupy several days, on the lines of a second reading debate, without a decision being taken at the present time. Possibly "it will not "b© finally dealt with until President Wilson and Mr Lloyd George return. It is believed that the commission will recommend the creation of two councilsone of delegates who in the first instance probably will consist ,of the Ambassadors and Ministers of the various nations joining the league in whatever city_ the inaugural sessions will meet. The second council will bo an executive, of which the council of the Great Powers at the Peace Conference will form the nucleus, with tho addition of representatives of lesser countries. This council will establish a secretariat, the chief of which will be the Executive Council's secretary.

One of the first duties of the league when established •will be the formation of an International Court of Justice A and N.Z; Cable.