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The
High Contracting Parties, In order to promote international
co-operation and to achieve international peace and security by the
acceptance of obligations not to resort to war by the prescription
of open, just and honourable relations between nations by the firm
establishment of the understandings of international law as the
actual rule of conduct among Governments, and by the maintenance of
justice and a scrupulous respect for all treaty obligations in the
dealings of organised peoples with one another Agree to this
Covenant of the League of Nations.
The
original Members of the League of Nations shall be those of the
Signatories which are named in the Annex to this Covenant and also
such of those other States named in the Annex as shall accede
without reservation to this Covenant. Such accession shall be
effected by a Declaration deposited with the Secretariat within two
months of the coming into force of the Covenant Notice thereof shall
be sent to all other Members of the League. Any fully self-governing
State, Dominion, or Colony not named in the Annex may become a
Member of the League if its admission is agreed to by two-thirds of
the Assembly provided that it shall give effective guarantees of its
sincere intention to observe its international obligations, and
shall accept such regulations as may be prescribed by the League in
regard to its military, naval, and air forces and armaments.Any
Member of the League may, after two years' notice of its intention
so to do, withdraw from the League, provided that all its
international obligations and all its obligations under this
Covenant shall have been fulfilled at the time of its withdrawal.
The
action of the League under this Covenant shall be effected through
the instrumentality of an Assembly and of a Council, with a
permanent Secretariat.
The
Assembly shall consist of Representatives of the Members of the
League. The Assembly shall meet at stated intervals and from time to
time as occasion may require at the Seat of the League or at such
other place as may be decided upon.The Assembly may deal at its
meetings with any matter within the sphere of action of the League
or affecting the peace of the world. At meetings of the Assembly
each Member of the League shall have one vote, and may not have more
than three Representatives.
The
Council shall consist of Representatives of the Principal Allied and
Associated Powers, together with Representatives of four other
Members of the League. These four Members of the League shall be
selected by the Assembly from time to time in its discretion. Until
the appointment of the Representatives of the four Members of the
League first selected by the Assembly, Representatives of Belgium,
Brazil, Spain, and Greece shall be members of the Council. With the
approval of the majority of the Assembly, the Council may name
additional Members of the League whose Representatives shall always
be members of the Council; the Council with like approval may
increase the number of Members of the League to be selected by the
Assembly for representation on the Council. The Council shall meet
from time to time as occasion may require, and at least once a year,
at the Seat of the League, or at such other place as may be decided
upon. The Council may deal at its meetings with any matter within
the sphere of action of the League or affecting the peace of the
world. Any Member of the League not represented on the Council shall
be invited to send a Representative to sit as a member at any
meeting of the Council during the consideration of matters specially
affecting the interests of that Member of the League. At meetings of
the Council, each Member of the League represented on the Council
shall have one vote, and may have not more than one Representative.
Except
where otherwise expressly provided in this Covenant or by the terms
of the present Treaty, decisions at any meeting of the Assembly or
of the Council shall require the agreement of all the Members of the
League represented at the meeting. All matters of procedure at
meetings of the Assembly or of the Council, including the
appointment of Committees to investigate particular matters, shall
be regulated by the Assembly or by the Council and may be decided by
a majority of the Members of the League represented at the meeting.
The first meeting of the Assembly and the first meeting of the
Council shall be summoned by the President of the United States of
America.
The
permanent Secretariat shall be established at the Seat of the
League. The Secretariat shall comprise a Secretary General and such
secretaries and staff as may be required.The first Secretary General
shall be the person named in the Annex; thereafter the Secretary
General shall be appointed by the Council with the approval of the
majority of the Assembly.The secretaries and staff of the
Secretariat shall be appointed by the Secretary General with the
approval of the Council.The Secretary General shall act in that
capacity at all meetings qf the Assembly and of the Council.The
expenses of the Secretariat shall be borne by the Members of the
League in accordance with the apportionment of the expenses of the
International Bureau of the Universal Postal Union.
The
Seat of the League is established at Geneva. The Council may at any
time decide that the Seat of the League shall be established
elsewhere. All positions under or in connection with the League,
including he Secretariat, shall be open equally to men and women.
Representatives of the Members of the League and officials of he
League when engaged on the business of the League shall enjoy
diplomatic privileges and immunities.The buildings and other
property occupied by the League or its officials or by
Representatives attending its meetings sha11 be inviolable.
The
Members of the League recognise that the maintenance of peace
requires the reduction of national armaments to the lowest point
consistent with national safety and the enforcement by common action
of international obligations. The Council, taking account of the
geographical situation and circumstances of each State, shall
formulate plans for such reduction for the consideration and action
of the several Governments. Such plans shall be subject to
reconsideration and revision at least every ten years. After these
plans shall have been adopted by the several Governments, the limits
of armaments therein fixed shall not be exceeded without the
concurrence of the Council. The Members of the League agree that the
manufacture by private enterprise of munitions and implements of war
is open to grave objections. The Council shall advise how the evil
effects attendant upon such manufacture can be prevented, due regard
being had to the necessities of those Members of the League which
are not able to manufacture the munitions and implements of war
necessary for their safety. The Members of the League undertake to
interchange full and frank information as to the scale of their
armaments, their military, naval, and air programmes and the
condition of such of their industries as are adaptable to war-like
purposes.
A
permanent Commission shall be constituted to advise the Council on
the execution of the provisions of Articles 1 and 8 and on military,
naval, and air questions generally.
The
Members of the League undertake to respect and preserve as against
external aggression the territorial integrity and existing political
independence of all Members of the League. In case of any such
aggression or in case of any threat or danger of such aggression the
Council shall advise upon the means by which this obligation shall
be fulfilled.
Any
war or threat of war, whether immediately affecting any of the
Members of the League or not, is hereby declared a matter of concern
to the whole League, and the League shall take any action tnat may
be deemed wise and effectual to safeguard the peace of nations. In
case any such emergency should arise the Secretary General shall on
the request of any Member of the League forthwith summon a meeting
of the Council. It is also declared to be the friendly right of each
Member of the League to bring to the attention of the Assembly or of
the Council any circumstance whatever affecting international
relations which threatens to disturb international peace or the good
understanding between nations upon which peace depends.
The
Members of the League agree that if there should arise between them
any dispute likely to lead to a rupture, they will submit the matter
either to arbitration or to inquiry by the Council, and they agree
in no case to resort to war until three months after the award by
the arbitrators or the report by the Council. In any case under this
Article the award of the arbitrators shall be made within a
reasonable time, and the report of the Council shall be made within
six months after the submission of the dispute.
The
Members of the League agree that whenever any dispute shall arise
between them which they recognise to be suitable for submission to
arbitration and which cannot be satisfactorily settled by diplomacy,
they will submit the whole subject-matter to arbitration. Disputes
as to the interpretation of a treaty, as to any question of
international law, as to the existence of any fact which if
established would constitute a breach of any international
obligation, or as to the extent and nature of the reparation to be
made or any such breach, are declared to be among those which are
generally suitable for submission to arbitration. For the
consideration of any such dispute the court of arbitraion to which
the case is referred shall be the Court agreed on by the parties to
the dispute or stipulated in any convention existing between them.
The Members of the League agree that they will carry out in full
good faith any award that may be rendered, and that they will not
resort to war against a Member of the League which complies
therewith. In the event of any failure to carry out such an award,
the Council shall propose what steps should be taken to give effect
thereto.
The
Council shall formulate and submit to the Members of the League for
adoption plans for the establishment of a Permanent Court of
International Justice. The Court shall be competent to hear and
determine any dispute of an international character which the
parties thereto submit to it. The Court may also give an advisory
opinion upon any dispute or question referred to it by the Council
or by the Assembly.
If
there should arise between Members of the League any dispute likely
to lead to a rupture, which is not submitted to arbitration in
accordance with Article 13, the Members of the League agree that
they will submit the matter to the Council. Any party to the dispute
may effect such submission by giving notice of the existence of the
dispute to the Secretary General, who will make all necessary
arrangements for a full investigation and conside ation thereof. For
this purpose the parties to the dispute will communicate to the
Secretary General, as promptly as possible, statements of their case
with all the relevant facts and papers, and the Council may
forthwith direct the publication thereof. The Council shall
endeavour to effect a settlement of the dispute, and if such efforts
are successful, a statement shall be made public giving such facts
and explanations regarding the dispute and the terms of settlement
thereof as the Council may deem appropriate. If the dispute is not
thus settled, the Council either unanimously or by a majority vote
shall make and publish a report containing a statement of the facts
of the dispute and the recommendations which are deemed just and
proper in regard thereto Any Member of the League represented on the
Council may make public a statement of the facts of the dispute and
of its conclusions regarding the same. If a report by the Council is
unanimously agreed to by the members thereof other than the
Representatives of one or more of the parties to the dispute, the
Members of the League agree that they will not go to war with any
party to the dispute which complies with the recommendations of the
report. If the Council fails to reach a report which is unanim~usly
agreed to by the members thereof, other than the Representatives of
one or more of the parties to the dispute, the Members of the League
reserve to themselves the right to take such action as they shall
consider necessary for the maintenance of right and justice. If the
dispute between the parties is claimed by one of them, and is found
by the Council, to arise out of a matter which by international law
is solely within the domestic jurisdiction of that party, the
Council shall so report, and shall make no recommendation as to its
settlement. The Council may in any case under this Article refer the
dispute to the Assembly. The dispute shall be so referred at the
request of either party to the dispute, provided that such request
be made within fourteen days after the submission of the dispute to
the Council. In any case referred to the Assembly, all the
provisions of this Article and of Article 12 relating to the action
and powers of the Council shall apply to the action and powers of
the Assembly, provided that a report made by the Assembly, if
concurred in by the Representatives of those Members of the League
represented on the Council and of a majority of the other Members of
the League, exclusive in each case of the Rpresentatives of the
parties to the dispute shall have the same force as a report by the
Council concurred in by all the members thereof other than the
Representatives of one or more of the parties to the dispute.
Should
any Member of the League resort to war in disregard of its covenants
under Articles 12, 13, or 15, it shall ipso facto be deemed to have
committed an act of war against all other Members of the League,
which hereby undertake immediately to subject it to the severance of
all trade or financial relations, the prohibition of all intercourse
between their nations and the nationals of the covenant-breaking
State, and the prevention of all financial, commercial, or personal
intercourse between the nationals of the covenant-breaking State and
the nationals of any other State, whether a Member of the League or
not. It shall be the duty of the Council in such case to recommend
to the several Governments concerned what effective military, naval,
or air force the Members of the League shall severally contribute to
the armed forces to be used to protect the covenants of the League.
The Members of the League agree, further, that they will mutually
support one another in the financial and economic measures which are
taken under this Article, in order to minimise the loss and
inconvenience resulting from the above measures, and that they will
mutually support one another in resisting any special measures aimed
at one of their number by the covenantbreaking State, and that they
will take the necessary steps to afford passage through their
territory to the forces of any of the Members of the League which
are co-operating to protect the covenants of the League. Any Member
of the League which has violated any covenant of the League may be
declared to be no longer a Member of the League by a vote of the
Council concurred in by the Representatives of all the other Members
of the League represented thereon.
In
the event of a dispute between a Member of the League and a State
which is not a Member of the League, or between States not Members
of the League, the State or States, not Members of the League shall
be invited to accept the obligations of membership in the League for
the purposes of such dispute, upon such conditions as the Council
may deem just. If such invitation is accepted, the provisions of
Articles 12 to I6 inclusive shall be applied with such modifications
as may be deemed necessary by the Council. Upon such invitation
being given the Council shall immediately institute an inquiry into
the circumstances of the dispute and recommend such action as may
seem best and most effectual in the circumstances.If a State so
invited shall refuse to accept the obligations of membership in the
League for the purposes of such dispute, and shall resort to war
against a Member of the League, the provisions of Article 16 shall
be applicable as against the State taking such action. If both
parties to the dispute when so invited refuse to accept the
obligations of membership in the League for the purpose of such
dispute, the Council may take such measures and make such
recommendations as will prevent hostilities and will result in the
settlement of the dispute.
Every
treaty or international engagement entered into hereafter by any
Member of the League shall be forthwith registered with the
Secretariat and shall as soon as possible be published by it. No
such treaty or international engagement shall be binding until so
registered.
The
Assembly may from time to time advise the reconsideration by Members
of the League of treaties which have become inapplicable and the
consideration of international conditions whose continuance might
endanger the peace of the world.
The
Members of the League severally agree that this Covenant is accepted
as abrogating all obligations or understandings inter se which are
inconsistent with the terms thereof, and solemnly undertake that
they will not hereafter enter into any engagements inconsistent with
the terms thereof. In case any Member of the League shall, before
becoming a Member of the League, have undertaken any obligations
inconsistent with the terms of this Covenant, it shall be the duty
of such Member to take immediate steps to procure its release from
such obligations.
Nothing
in this Covenant shall be deemed to affect the validity of
international engagements, such as treaties of arbitration or
regional understandings like the Monroe doctrine, for securing the
maintenance of peace.
To
those colonies and territories which as a consequence of the late
war have ceased to be under the sovereignty of the States which
formerly governed them and which are inhabited by peoples not yet
able to stand by themselves under the strenuous conditions of the
modern world, there should be applied the principle that the
well-being and development of such peoples form a sacred trust of
civilisation and that securities for the performance of this trust
should be embodied in this Covenant. The best method of giving
practical effect to this principle is that the tutelage of such
peoples should be entrusted to advanced nations who by reason of
their resources, their experience or their geographical position can
best undertake this responsibility, and who are willing to accept
it, and that this tutelage should be exercised by them as
Mandatories on behalf of the League. The character of the mandate
must differ according to the stage of the development of the people,
the geographical situation of the territory, its economic
conditions, and other similar circumstances. Certain communities
formerly belonging to the Turkish Empire have reached a stage of
development where their existence as independent nations can be
provisionally recognised subject to the rendering of administrative
advice and assistance by a Mandatory until such time as they are
able to stand alone. The wishes of these communities must be a
principal consideration in the selection of the Mandatory. Other
peoples, especially those of Central Africa, are at such a stage
that the Mandatory must be responsible for the administration of the
territory under conditions which will guarantee freedom of
conscience and religion, subject only to the maintenance of public
order and morals, the prohibition of abuses such as the slave trade,
the arms traffic, and the liquor traffic, and the prevention of the
establishment of fortifications or military and naval bases and of
military training of the natives for other than police purposes and
the defence of territory, and will also secure equal opportunities
for the trade and commerce of other Members of the League. There are
territories, such as South-West Africa and certain of the South
Pacific Islands, which, owing to the sparseness of their population,
or their small size, or their remoteness from the centres of
civilisation, or their geographical contiguity to the territory of
the Mandatory, and other circumstances, can be best administered
under the laws of the Mandatory as integral portions of its
territory, subject to the safeguards above mentioned in the
interests of the indigenous population. In every case of mandate,
the Mandatory shall render to the Council an annual report in
reference to the territory committed to its charge. The degree of
authority, control, or administration to be exercised by the
Mandatory shall, if not previously agreed upon by the Members of the
League, be explicitly defined in each case by the Council. A
permanent Commission shall be constituted to receive and examine the
annual reports of the Mandatories and to advise the Council on all
matters relating to the observance of the mandates.
Subject
to and in accordance with the provisions of international
conventions existing or hereafter to be agreed upon, the Members of
the League: (a) will endeavour to secure and maintain fair and
humane conditions of labour for men, women, and children, both in
their own countries and in all countries to which their commercial
and industrial relations extend, and for that purpose will establish
and maintain the necessary international organisations; (b)
undertake to secure just treatment of the native inhabitants of
territories under their control; (c) will entrust the League with
the general supervision over the execution of agreements with regard
to the traffic in women and children, and the traffic in opium and
other dangerous drugs; (d) will entrust the League with the general
supervision of the trade in arms and ammunition with the countries
in which the control of this traffic is necessary in the common
interest; (e) will make provision to secure and maintain freedom of
communications and of transit and equitable treatment for the
commerce of all Members of the League. In this connection, the
special necessities of the regions devastated during the war of
1914-1918 shall be borne in mind; (f) will endeavour to take steps
in matters of international concern for the prevention and control
of disease.
There
shall be placed under the direction of the League all international
bureaux already established by general treaties if the parties to
such treaties consent. All such international bureaux and all
commissions for the regulation of matters of international interest
hereafter constituted shall be placed under the direction of the
League. In all matters of international interest which are regulated
by general conventions but which are not placed under the control of
international bureaux or commissions, the Secretariat of the League
shall, subject to the consent of the Council and if desired by the
parties, collect and distribute all relevant information and shall
render any other assistance which may be necessary or desirable. The
Council may include as part of the expenses of the Secretariat the
expenses of any bureau or commission which is placed under the
direction of the League.
The
Members of the League agree to encourage and promote the
establishment and co-operation of duly authorised voluntary national
Red Cross organisations having as purposes the improvement of
health, the prevention of disease, and the mitigation of suffering
throughout the world.
Amendments
to this Covenant will take effect when ratified by the Members of
the League whose representatives compose the Council and by a
majority of the Members of the League whose Representatives compose
the Assembly. No such amendment shall bind any Member of the League
which signifies its dissent therefrom, but in that case it shall
cease to be a Memb,er of the League.
United
States Of America, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, British Eupire, Canada,
Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, India, China, Cuba, Ecuador,
France, Greece, Guatemala, Haiti, Hedjaz, Honduras, Italy, Japan,
Liberia, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Roumania,
Serb-Croat-Slovene State, Siam, Czecho-Slovakia, Uruguay
States
Invited To Accede To The Covenant.
Argentine
Republic, Chile, Colombia, Denmark, Netherlands, Norway, Paraguay,
Persia, Salvador, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Venezuela.
The
Honourable Sir James Eric Drummond, K.C.M.G., C.B. |