(Letter No. 7)

ARTICLES I and II

The original members of the League are those who are admitted without a vote of the Assembly, and therefore without giving guarantees of their sincerity and without regulations in regard to their military and naval forces. These countries are enumerated in the Annex to the Covenant and they are divided into two classes. The first list comprises all the countries, except Russia, that declared war, or were deemed to have taken part in the war, against Germany. They are thirty-two in number, including as distinct members India and the four largest self-governing colonies of England. The second list contains the names of thirteen states, being all those neutrals during the late war which have free and stable governments. The chief nations not in these lists are Germany, with Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria and

Turkey, her allies in the war; and Russia, whose political future is as yet wholly uncertain.

Assuming that the countries named in the Annex to the Covenant will, with few and not very important exceptions, join the League, it is interesting to compare the relative populations included within it and those which are at present left out; for on the preponderance of the League may well depend the question whether it will prove an irresistible force for peace and justice in the world, or merely an alliance that may be opposed by a counter alliance on the discredited system of balance of power.

Russia, after the loss of Poland, Finland and the Baltic provinces, has still a hundred millions of people of Slavic race; but at present they are in such a chaotic condition and are so distracted by civil war that their future cannot be foreseen. If Russia remains permanently divided parts of it will certainly drift into the League. If it becomes reunited it is more likely to cast in its lot with the League than to ally itself with Germany or remain isolated.

Apart from Russia, and the former Turkish dominions which will be largely absorbed by other states, there will remain outside of the League Germany, a part of Austria, Hungary and Bulgaria. After the losses of territory these have sustained they will have a population of a little more than one hundred millions, all in Europe. The members of the League, on the other hand, will have in Europe a population of over two hundred millions, and elsewhere a population of European stock of about one hundred and fifty millions. The people of nonEuropean or mixed race in independent countries with stable governments will add, perhaps, a hundred million more, besides India, China and Africa with over seven hundred millions of people. In men and money, in commerce and natural resources, in all that gives ultimate power, the potential force of the League should be supreme, if its members keep faith and abide by their principles of maintaining peace and justice on the earth.

If these figures show the potential force of the League, they show also the need of such a League, the need of a close and honour

able co-operation among members, and not least the need of watchful attention to the developments in central and eastern Europe.

The second article of the Covenant provides that its action shall be effected through the instrumentality of an Assembly and a Council, with a permanent secretariat. This means that so far as the members of the League act through any common organs these are the ones through which they act. It does not mean that they are not to act directly without the intervention of any organ of the League whatever. To hold such a view would nullify many of the obligations which, if one can use the expression, are personal and direct. For example, in Article X the members bind themselves individually to preserve and protect one another's independence and integrity against external aggression, the Council only giving advice on the best means of doing so. When under Article XIII two members go to arbitration they do it without regard to the Council or Assembly. Under Article XVI the boycott or blockade is to be set in operation immediately by the members, without waiting

for action by the Council which has no discretion to authorize or forbid it. This is true also of the obligation to furnish mutual economic support and allow the passage of troops. Again the agreements for humane treatment of labour, etc., impose obligations directly upon the members of the League.

How direct these obligations upon the members are, how much depends upon their automatic action, and how restricted is the authority of the organs of the League will be seen more fully as we proceed to examine the several articles of the Covenant.

To meet criticisms made in America, a clause was added to the first article permitting any member of the League to withdraw after two years' notice. Such a withdrawal ought not, of course, to be permitted in order to avoid obligations already incurred; and it is therefore very properly subject to the proviso that these have all been fulfilled at the time of the withdrawal.