with a constitution, the ground-plan of which would be
something like the following:

1. The society of states is composed of all sovereign states
which mutually recognize each other's internal and external
independence.

2. Every recognized sovereign state has the right to take part
in the Peace Conferences.

3. No state taking part in the Conferences is bound by the
resolutions of the Conferences without its assent. Majority
resolutions only bind the members of that majority. On the
other hand, no state is entitled to require that only such
resolutions be adopted as it assents to.

4. Every participant state has the right to be heard at the
Conferences, to bring forward proposals, to make motions, and
to speak on the proposals and motions of other participants.

5. A standing international commission shall be appointed whose
duty it shall be to summon all the members of the international
community to the Conferences, to make previous inquiries as to
the proposals and motions which are to be brought before the
Conference and to inform all participants of them, and to
prepare and carry out all other business which the Conferences
may from time to time entrust to it.

6. Rules of procedure for the Conferences shall be elaborated,
which shall govern the conduct of the proceedings of the
Conferences, so that the proceedings can follow a defined
course without degenerating into a time-wasting discussion.

7. The question of the presidency of the Conferences shall be
settled once for all, so that no room be left for quarrels and
jealousies about precedence. It might perhaps be found
expedient before every Conference to decide on the presidency
by lot.

8. All resolutions come into force only when and so far as they
are ratified by the respective states. On the other hand, every
state binds itself, once and for all, to carry out in good
faith the resolutions which it has ratified.

9. All states bind themselves to submit to the decisions of the
international tribunals to which they have appealed, so far as
these decisions are within the competence of the respective
tribunals.

Something like this would be the ground-plan of a constitution of the
international community. Rules 5-7 are demanded by the nature of the
case; rules 1-4 a