THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XLV, Issue 11760, 20 February 1919, Page 8

THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS

WILSON ON THE COVENANT. NS SERIOUS DIFFERENCE OF OPINIONS, United Press Association—By Eletrie Telegraph— Copyright. Received Feb 20, noon. New York, Feb 18 President Wilson, speaking regarding the covenant of the League of Nations, said it was obvious throughout our discnseionß.’although there were subjects upon which there were ind vidual differences of judgment in regard to the methods by which the objects would be attained, there was practically no point of any serious difference of opinion or motive as to the objects we are seeking. Fourteen nations were represented end the significance of the result, therefor®, has that deepest of all meanings, the union of wills in the common purpose of union, which cannot be resisted and which I dare say no nation will run the risk of attempt- ' iug to resist. Referring to the character cf the document, President Wilson said it was very simple and in nothing so simple as in the structure which it suggests for the League of Nations — a body of delegates, Executive Council, and permanent secretariat. We were depending primarily and chiefly on one great force, the moral force of public opinion of the world clarifying and compelling influences of publicity so that sinister designs can be drawn into the open and promptly destroyed by an overwhelming light of universal expression cf condemnation. An armed force is in the background and if moral force will not suffice physical force shall. We have finished with the annexation of helpless peoples. Many such instances ware need merely for their exploitation, which had baen one of the many distressing ("revelations in recent years. • Germany just happily defected had put intolerable burdens of injustice# upon the colonies which she annexed, affecting their extermination rather than their development. In conclusion, he said the document ensures that in future the mandatory States will be picked which have already shown that they can exercise conscience in this matter and under their tutelage the helpless peoples of the world will coma into new light and new hope. Miasma, distrust and intrigue had been cleared away. Men were now looking eye to eye, and saying “We are brothers. We have a common purpose. We had not realised this before as we do now a*d this is our covenant of fieudship.’’