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T I* * t REVISED GOVENAIII Of LEAGUE OF NATIONS NOW BEFORE WINCE < 'ft . ■' <2. . Document Designed to Promote International Co-Operation, and to Achieve International Peace and Security With- out Resort to War. ifc -fM CLWR The High Contracting Parties Agree in This Covenant to Main tain a Scrupulous Respect for All Treaty Obligations in All Their Dealings With One Another. Washington.—The state department made public the text of the revised covenant of the league of nations, as it was presented to the plenary ses sion of the peace conference at Paris. The text follows, with parenthetical insertions showing changes made in the covenant as originally drafted and ma^e. public: Covenant of the League of Nations. In order to pfomote international co-operation and ' to achieve interna tional, peac^ and security, by the ac- ceptapce. of -obligations not to resort to war, by. the.'prescription . of open, just, and honorable relations between nations, by the firm establishment of the understandings “of "international law as to actual rule of conduct among governments, and by the maintenance of justice lind a scrupulous respect for all treaty obligaiiohs in the dealings of organized'peoples with one another, the high contracting parties agree to this covenant of the,league of nations. —(In the sentence reads, "adopt this constitu tion," instead 'of "agree to this cove nant.")--- - * \ 1 „ - - ‘ Article One. .-•The original members of the league of nations shall be those of the sig natories which aro named in the an nex to this covenant and also such of those other states named in the an nex as shall accede without reserva tion to this covenant. Such accession shall be effected by a declaration de posited with the secretariat within two months of the coming into force of the covenant. Notice thereof shall l>e sent to alf other members of the league. Any fully self-governing state, do minion or colony not named in the an nex may become a member of the league of nations if its admission is agreed to by two-thirds of the assem bly, provided that it shall give effec tive guarantees of Its sincere inten tion to observe its international obli gations, and shall accept such regula tions as may be prescribed by the league in regard to its military and naval 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 obli gations and all its obligations under this covenant shall have been fulfilled at the time of its withdrawal. (This article is new, embodying with alterations and additions the old article seven. It provides more spe cifically the method of admitting new members and adds the entirely new paragraph providing for withdrawal from the league. No mention of with drawal was -made in the original docu ment.) * Article Two. 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. -(Originally this was a pert of ar ticle one. It gives the name assem bly to the gathering of representa tives of the members of the league, formerly referred to merely as "the body of delegates.”) Article Three. The assembly shall consist of rep resentatives 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 meet ings with any matter within the sphere of action of the league or af fecting the peace of the world. At meetings of the assembly, each member of the league shall have one rote, and may hare not more t^an three representatlres. (This efhbodies parts of the orig inal article one, two and three with only minor changes. It refers to "members of the league” where the term "high cofitracttag parties" orlg- ftnVv was used, and this change Is foli^ed throughout the revised draft.) Article Four. ' The council nhall consist of repre sentatives of tlte United States of America, of the British empire, of Trance, of Italy and of Japan,-together With representatives of four other members of the league. These four members of the league shall be select ed by the assembly from time to time in its discretion. Until the appoint ment of the representatives of the four members of the le-agne first se lected by the assembly, representa tives of (blank) shall ba members of ;«be council. . i With approval of the majority of Ike assembly, the council may name additional riembera of, the, league ^whose representatives shall always be !members of the council; the council of war is open to grave,, objections. The council shall advise how the evil effects attendant upon such manufac ture can be prevented, due regard be ing had to the necessities of those which are not able to manufacture the munitions and implements of war necessary for their safety. The, members of the league under- Uko to Interchange full and frank In* the council. Any party to the dis pute may effect such submission by giving notice of the existence of the dispute to the secertary general, who will make all necessary arrangements tor a full investigation and considera tion thereof. For this purpose the After these plans shall have beau- adopted by the several governments, 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 en- terprise of munitions and implamant* paHtee- ♦'V dtetw**-wttl pommiiul- cate to the secretary general as promptly as possible, statments of their case, all the relevant facts and purposes. The council may forth with direct the publication thereof. The council shall endeavor to ef fect a settlement of any dispute, and if suefi efforts are successful, a etate- naent shall be made public giving number of members of the league to be selected by the assembly for rep resentation on the council. The council shall meet from time to time as occasion may requite 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 meet ings with any matter within the sphere of action of the league or af fecting the peace of the world. Any member of the league not rep resented on the council shall be in vited to send a representative to sit as a member at any meeting of the council during the consideration of matters specifically affecting the in terests of that member of the league. At meetings of the cquncil, each member of the league represented on the council shall have one vote, and may have not more than one repres entative. (This embodies that part of the ; j original article three“ff§srgnatihg~ _ fhe original members of the council. The paragraph providing for increase in the membership of the council is new.) Article Five. Except where otherwise expressly provided in this covenant, decisions at any meeting of the assembly or of the council shall require the agree ment of all the members of the league represented at the meeting. - All matters of procedure at meet ings of the assembly or of the council, the appointment of committees to in vestigate particular matters shall be regulated by the assembly or by the council and njay be decided by a ma jority of the members of the league represented at the meeting. The first meeting of the assembly and the first meeting at the council shall be summoned by the President of the United States of America. (The first paragraph requiring un animous agreement in both assembly and council except where otherwise, provided is new. The other two para graphs originally were included la article four.) Article Six. The permanent secretariat shall be established at the seat of the league’. The secretariat shall comprise a sec retariat general and such secretaries and staff as may be required. * The, first secretary* general shall be the person named in the annex; there after the secretary general shall be appointed by the council with the ap proval of the majority of the assembly. The secretaries and the 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 of the as sembly and of the council. , The expenses of the secretariat shall be borne by the members of the league in accordance with the apportion ment of the expenses of the interna tional bureau of universal postal union. (This replaces the original article five. In the original the appointment of the first secretary general was left to the council, and approval of the majority of the assembly was not re quired for subsequent appointments.) f Article Seven. The seat of the league Is establish ed 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 the secre tariat, shall be open equally to men and women. Representatives of the members of the league and officials of the league when engaged on the business of the. league shall' enjoy diplomatic privi leges and Immunities. The building and otker pronerty oc cupied by the league or Its officials or by representatives attending its meet ings shall be inviolable. (Embodying parts of the old ar ticles five and six, this srticle names Geneva instead of leaving the seat of the league to be chosen later, and adds the provision for changing the seat in the future. The paragraph opening position to (women equally with men Is new). , ’ , Article Eight The members of the league recog nise that the maintenance of a peace requires the reduction of national armament to the lowest point consist ent with national safety and the en forcement bv common action of inter national obligation. The council, taking account of the geographical 'situation and circum stances of each state, shall formulate plans for such reduction for the conr sideration and action of the several governments. -, . -» Such pVans shall he suhpect he m consideration and wialon formation as to the scale of their armaments, their military and naral programs and the condition of such of their industries as are adaptable to warlike purposes. (This covers the ground of the original article eight, but is rewrit ten to make it clearer that armament reduction plans must be adopted by the nations affected before they be come effective). Article Nine. A permanent commission shaH he constituted to advise the council on the expectation of the provisions of srticles one and eight and on military xnd naval questions generally. (Unchanged except for the inser tion of the words "article one"). Article Ten. ^x The members of the league under take to respect and preserve as against external aggression the ter ritorial integrity and existing political independence of all members of the league. In case of any such aggres sion, or in case of any threat or dan ger of such aggression, tl*: council ihall advise upon the means by which Ibis obligation shall be fulfilled. (Virtually unchanged). * Article Eleven. Any war or threat of war, whether mmediately affecting any. members of the league' or not, is lereby declared a matter of concern. mifii facta and e n»m n m ion u rogxrtmqr accept the obligations of membership in the league for the purposes of such dispute, upon such cohditions as the council may deem just. If such invi tation is accepted, >he provisiohs of articles 12 to 16 inclusive shall be ap plied witlwsuch modifications as may -be- doomed -necessary by the, council Upon such invitation being given, the council shall immediately institute id inquiry) into the circumstances of the dispute and recommend such ac tion as may seem best and most ef- iectual in the circmnstances. * If a state so invitdd shall refuse to accept thfc obligations of member ship, in * the league for the pur- integral portions of its* territory sub ject to the safeguards above mention ed 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 f.harge - the dispute, terms of settlement thereof, as the council may deem ap propriate. If the dispute Is not thus settled, the council either unanftnously or by i majority vote shall make and pub- ish a report containing a statement of the facts of the dispute and the recommendations which are deemed Just and proper in regard thereto. Any mrtnber of the league repre sented on the council may make pub lic a statement of the facts of the dispute and of its conclusions regard ing the sapie. If a report by the council is unani mously 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 re port which is unahimously agreed to by the members thereof, other than the representatives- of o(j.e or more pf the parties to the (ftspute, the members of the league reserve to themselves the right,to'take such ac tion as they shall consider necessary 'or the maintenace of right and Jus- to the whole league, and the league diall take any action that may be deemed wise and effectual to sate- piard the peace of nation*. In case any such emergencies should arise, ‘.he secretary general shall oh the re- -equest of any member of the league, 'orthwith summon a meeting of the jouncll. It is also declared to Jbe the funda mental right of each member of the league to'bring to the attention of the assembly or of the-council'any cir cumstances whatever .affecting inter national relations which threatens, to disturb either, the peace or the good understanding between nations upon which peace depends. (In the original it was provided that the "high contracting parties re serve the right to take any action,” etc., where the revised draft reads "the league shall tak,e any action.** etc.) » » • ^ Article.Twelve. ' * 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 cf the council. In any case under thie article the award of the arbitrators shaH -be made with in a reasonable time, and the report of the council shall be made within a reasonable time, and submission of the dispute. (Virtually unchanged except that some provisions of the original are eliminated for inclusion in othfer ar ticles). Article Thirteen. The members of the league agree that whnever any dispute shall aris« between them which they recognize to be suitable for submission to arbi tration and which cannot .he satisfac If the dispute between the parties is. claimed by*one of them, and is tound by the council, to arise out ot a matter which by international law is solely within the domestic jurisdic tion of the party, the coupcil shall so report, and shall make no recommen- lations as to its settlement. « The council may in any case under this article refer the dispute to the assembly. The dispute shall be so re ferred at the request of either party to the dispute, provided that such re quest made within 14 days after the submission of the dispute to the council. . ■' In any case referred to the assem bly all the provisions of .this article and of article 12 relating to the action and powers of the council shall app^v to the action and powers of the as sembly, provided that a report made by the assembly, if concurred in by the representatives of those members of the league represented on the coun cil and of a majority of the other members of the league, exclusive in each case of the representatives of the. parties to the dispute, shall have the same force as a report by the council concurred in by all the mepi- bers thereof other than the represen tatives of one or more of the parties to the dispute. (The paragraph specifically exclud ing matters of “domestic Jurisdic tion” from action by the council ,is new. In the last sentence, the words “If concurred In by the representa tives of those members of the league represented on the council," etc., have been added). Article Sixteen. Should any member of the league resort to war in disregard of its cove nants under articles 12, 13 or 15, it shall ipso facto be deeemd to have committed an act of war against all other members of the league, which thereby undertake immediately to subject it to the severance of all trade 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 obliga tions of membership in the league for the purposes 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. (Virtually unchanged.) , Article Eighteen. ‘ Every conventibh or international engagement entered info hencefor ward by any member of the league shall be forthwith registered with the secretariat and shall as soon as against the state taking such ac- such treaty or international engage ment shall be binding until so regis tered. (Same as original Article 23. ) Article Nineteen. 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 con ditions whose continuance might en danger the peace of the world. (Virtually the same.as origlnal-Ax-- ticle 24.)„ 5 Article Twenty. The members of the league several ly agree that this covenant is accept ed as abrogating all obligations or understandings inter se which are in consistent with the terms thereof, and solemnly undertake that they will not hereafter enter into $ny agreements inconsisteynt with the terms thereof. In efue members of the league shall, before becoming members of the league have undertaken any obliga- 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 this council. A permanent commission shall be constituted to receive and examine the annual reports of the mandatories ters relating to the observance of the mandates. (This Is the original Article 19. vir tually unchanged except for the in sertion of the words "and which are willing to accept” in describing na tions to be given mandatories.) Article Twenty-three. Subject to and ft accordance with the provisions of international con- veiitions existing or hereafter to be agreed upon the members of the league (a) will endeavor to secure and maintain fair and humane condi tions of- labor 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 es tablish and maintain the necessary in ternational organizations; (b) under take to secure just treatment of the native inhabitants of territories un der 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-thbr trafflc frp necessary in the common interests; (e) will make provision to secure and maintain freedom of communication and of transit and of equitable treat ment for the commerce of all mem bers of the league. In this connec tion. especial necessities of the re gions devastated during the war of 1914-1918 shall be in mind; (f) will endeavor to take steps in matters of international concern for thd prtvMi- tlon and control of disease. (This replaces the original article tions inconsistent with the terms of I 20-and embodies parts of the original the covenant, it shall be the duty of t Articles 18 and 21. It eliminates a each member to take immediate steps to procure its release from such obligations. (Virtually the* same as original Ar ticle 25.) Article Twenty-one. < Nothing in this covenant shall be deemed to affect the validity of inter national engagements such as treat ies of arbitrations or regional under standings like the Monroe doctrine for securing the maintenance of peace. (Entirely new.) Article Twenty-two. Te those colonies and territories which as a consequence of the late war have ceased to be under the sov ereignty of the states which formerly governed them and which are inhab ited 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 wellbeing and well devefopment of such peoples formed a sacred trust of civilization and that securities for the* performance of this trust should be embodied in this covenant. The best method of giving practi cable effect to this principle is that the tutelage of such peoples be en trusted to advanced nations who, by reasons of their resources, their ex perience or their geographical posi tion, can best undertake responsibil- torily- settled *by d tplomae y, -they will - -- >r ~ financial - relations, pro iuh i tion with like approval may tacreaae tha every 10 yeare. \ submit the whole subject matter to arbitration. Disputes as to the inter pretation of a treaty, as to any ques tion of international law, as to the existence of any fact which i« estab lished would constitute a breach of aay international obligation, or as to the extent and nature of the repant- tion to be made for any such breach, the declared to be among those which are generally suitable for submission to arbitration. For the consideration of any euch dispute the court of ♦rbi- tration to which the case is referred shall be the court agreed on by the psutto* to the dispute or stipulated in aay 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 membek 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 he taken to give eCect < thereto, .v (Only minor changes In language.) Article Fourteen. . The council shall formulate and submit to the members of the league •or adoption plans for the. estab- ttsferment of a permanent court of inter- nsktional 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 ad- vieory opinion upon any dispute or question referred to it by the council or by the assembly. (UnchauKed except for cl.e addition tt the last sentence.) Article Fifteen. If there should arise between member^ of, the league aay dispute Mkely to lead to a rupture, which is net stArijtted to arbitration am above, the members cf the league that they will submit the matter to of all intercourse between their na tions and the nationals of the coven ant-breaking state and the prevention of all financial, commercial or per sonal intercourse between the na tions of the covenant breaking state and the nations of any other state, whether a member of the league or not. It shall be the duty of the council in such cases to recommend to the several ^governments concerned what effective military or naval forces the members of the league shall severally contribute to the armaments of forces to be used to protect the covenants of the league. The members of the league agroe, further, that they will mutually sup port one another in the financial and economic measures which are taken under this article, in order to mini mize the loss and inconvenience re sulting from the above measures, and that they will mutually support ^one another in resisting any special meas ures aimed at one of their number by the covenant breaking state and that they will take the necessary steps to afford passage through their territory to the forces of any of the members the league wbich are co-operating to protect the covenants of the league. Anv member of the league which violated any covenant of the league may be decided to be no longer a member of the league by a vote fo the council concurred in by the represen tatives of all the other members of the league represented thereon. (Unchanged except for the addition of the last sentence.) Article Seventeen. In the event of a dispute between H, member of the league and a state which is not a member of the league or between state* not members of the »«Murue, the state or states not mem hers of the league shall he Invited :• < ** ;> . J ^ ' specific provision formerly made for .a bureau of labor and adds the clauses (b) and (c). , - Article Twenty-four.) There shall be placed under the di rection of the league all international bureaus already established . by gen eral treaties if the parties to such treaties consent. All such interna tional bureaus and all commissions for the regulation of matters of inter national Interest hereafter constitut ed shall be placed under the direction of the league. In all matters of international in terest which are regulated by general conventions, but ^hich are not placed under the control of international bu reaus or commissions, the secretariat of the league shall, subject to the con sent 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 secretarial the expenses of any bureau or commis sion which is placed under the direc tion of the league. , (Same as article -22 in the original, with the matter after the first two sentences added)., i Article Twenty-five. The members of the league agree to encourage and promote the estab- ityrand-whiclrare willing to accept Itr ijiUmehOimr cWperatioh' M^duly au- and that this tutelage should be ex ercised by them as mandatories on be half of the league. The character of the mandate must differ according to the stage of the development of the people, the geo graphical. situation of the territory, its economic condition and any other similar circumstances. ^ Certain communities formerly be longing to the Turkish empire have reached a stage of development where their existence as independent nations can be provisionally recognized sub ject to the rendering of administra tive advice and assistance by a man datory until such time as they are able to stand alone. The wishes of these communities must be a princi pal consideration in the selection of the mandatory. Other peoples, especially those of Central Africa, are at such a stage that the mandatory must be responsi ble for the administration of the ter ritory upder conditions which '.Till guarantee freedom and conscience or religion subject only to the mainte nance 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 military fraining of the nations for dther^than policy purposes and the defense, of territory and will j.Jso secure equal opportunities for the trade and com merce of other, members of the' league. There are territories, anch 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 centers of civilization or their geographical contiguity to the terri tory oi ♦ue raphthrtofy and Wther cir cumstances, can be best administered under the laws of the mandatory as thorized national Red Cross societies having as purposes improvement of health, the prevention of diseases and the mitigation of suffering through out the world. (Entirely new.) Article Twenty-six. Amendments to this covenant will .take effect when ratified by members of the league, whose representatives compose the council and by a major- itv of the members of the league whose representatives compose the assembly. Such amendment shall (the word not apparently omitted in cable trans mission) bind any member of the league which signifies its dissent therefrom, but in that case it shall cease to be a member of. the league. (Same as the original except that a majority of the league Instead of “three-fourths is required for ratifica tion of amendments, with the list sen tence added ) Annex to the Covenant One—Original members of the league of nations. Signatories of the treaty of peace: United States of America, Belgium. Bolivia, Brazil, British Empire. Can ada. Australia, South Africa. New South Wales, Indla.iChina, Cuba, Cze^ eho-Slovakia. Ecuador, France, Greece, Guatemala. Haiti. Hedjaz, Honduras, Italy, Japan, Liberia. Nica ragua. Panama. Peru, Poland, Portu gal, Rumania, Serbia, Siam, Uruguay. States invited to accede to the cov-- „enant: 0 \ Argentine Republic, Chile. Colum bia* Denmark, Netherlands. Norway, Paraguay, Persia, Salvador, Spain. Sweden, Switzerland, Venezuela. Two—First secretary general of the leagre of nations (blank); (The annex was not published with die original draft ^>f the covenant) \