LEAGUE-COVENANT

Documents

THE COVENANT OF THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS

(Including Amendments adopted to December, 1924)

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.

ARTICLE 1.

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.

ARTICLE 2.

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.

ARTICLE 3.

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 have not more than three Representatives.

ARTICLE 4.

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.

ARTICLE 5.

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.

ARTICLE 6.

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 of the

Assembly and of the Council.

The expenses of the League shall be borne by the Members of the League in

the proportion decided by the Assembly.

ARTICLE 7.

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 the

Secretariat, 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

privileges and immunities.

The buildings and other property occupied by the League or its officials or

by Representatives attending its meetings shall be inviolable.

ARTICLE 8.

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.

ARTICLE 9.

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.

ARTICLE 10.

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.

ARTICLE 11.

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 that 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.

ARTICLE 12.

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 judicial settlement or to enquiry by the Council, and

they agree in no case to resort to war until three months after the award

by the arbitrators or the judicial decision, or the report by the Council.

In any case under this Article the award of the arbitrators or the judicial

decision 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.

ARTICLE 13.

The Members of the League agree that whenever any dispute shall arise

between them which they recognise to be suitable for submission to

arbitration or judicial settlement and which cannot be satisfactorily

settled by diplomacy, they will submit the whole subject-matter to

arbitration or judicial settlement.

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 for any such breach, are

declared to be among those which are generally suitable for submission to

arbitration or judicial settlement.

For the consideration of any such dispute, the court to which the case is

referred shall be the Permanent Court of International Justice, established

in accordance with Article 14, or any tribunal 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 or decision 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 or decision, the Council

shall propose what steps should be taken to give effect thereto.

ARTICLE 14.

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.

ARTICLE 15.

If there should arise between Members of the League any dispute likely to

lead to a rupture, which is not submitted to arbitration or judicial

settlement 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 consideration 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 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 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