February 9th

For the second time the admission of India to the League, which had been on several occasions sidetracked, was brought up again, and, of course, by Cecil.

“Does the President propose to admit India, or does he oppose her admission? It seems to me it should not be forgotten that during the war India mobilized a million men. The British Government has treated India according to her Colonial program, long tested in the school of experience. It is true that part of India is autocratically governed, yet it is willing to be so governed. And it cannot be denied that the greater part of India is democratically administered.”

Again many views were expressed as to what constituted a self-governing state, but no definite conclusion was reached. Finally, the President stated that he was in favor of the admission of India and the discussion died down. But the calm was of short duration: M. Bourgeois started another fray by stating that there should be a very definite separation in the Covenant of the sheep from the goats.

“There should be a classification,” he said, “of those who have reparations to make. Those who, like Germany, have violated laws human and divine, these should not be admitted on a basis of equality.” Mr. Wilson now talked at some length in favor of delay and the postponement of a decision on this point. Among other things he said was this:

“Not all the States here present are regarded by all the other States as having a good character.”

As far as I can make out, then, the Article was provisionally adopted, but the way was left open for future consideration.