t it was affirmative rather than negative in
form and would require positive action to be effective in the event that
the menace of superior force was insufficient to prevent
aggressive acts.

As far as I am able to judge from subsequently acquired knowledge,
President Wilson at the time he received my letter of December 23 had a
typewritten draft of the document which after certain amendments he
later laid before the American Commissioners and which he had printed
with a few verbal changes under the title of "The Covenant." In order to
understand the two forms of guaranty which he had for consideration
after he received my letter, I quote the article relating to it, which
appears in the first printed draft of the Covenant.

III

"The Contracting Powers unite in guaranteeing to each other political
independence and territorial integrity; but it is understood between
them that such territorial readjustments, if any, as may in the
future become necessary by reasons of changes in present racial
conditions and aspirations or present social and political
relationships, pursuant to the principle of self-determination, and
also such territorial readjustments as may in the judgment of three
fourths of the Delegates be demanded by the welfare and manifest
interest of the people concerned, may be effected if agreeable to
those peoples; and that territorial changes may involve material
compensation. The Contracting Powers accept without reservation the
principle that the peace of the world is superior in importance to
every question of political jurisdiction or boundary."

It seems needless to comment upon the involved language and the
uncertainty of meaning of this article wherein it provided for
"territorial readjustments" of which there appeared to be two classes,
one dependent on "self-determination," the other on the judgment of the
Body of Delegates of the League. In view of the possible reasons which
might be advanced for changes in territory and allegiance, justification
for an appeal to the guarantors was by no means certain. If this article
had been before me when the letter of December 23 was written, I might
have gone much further in opposition to the President's plan for
stabilizing peace in the world on the ground that a guaranty so
conditioned would cause rather than prevent international discord.

Though without knowledge of the exact terms of the President's proposed