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The Commoner
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Constitution of
Tho full text and covenant of tho league of
natlond was officially announced at Paris on
Fobruary 14 aB follows:
"COVENANT PREAMBLE
"In ordor to promoto international co-operation
and to secure international peace and
security by tlio acceptance of obligations not to
resort to war, by tlio proscription of open, just
and honorable rolations between nations, by tlio
Arm establishment of tho understandings of
international law as tho 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 pooples
with one another, tho powers signatory to this
covonant adopt this constitution of tho League
of Nations.
"ARTIGLE ONE
"Tho action of the high contracting parties
imdor tho terms of this covenant shall bo
effected through tho instrumentality of meetings
of a body of delegates representing the high
contracting parties, of meetings at more frequent
Intervals of an oxocutivo council, and of a per
manent international secretariat to be estab
lished at the soat of tho league.
"ARTICLE TWO
"Meetings of tho body of delegates shall bo
hold at stated intervals from timo to time, as
occasion may require, for tho purpose of dealing
with matters within tho sphere of action of the
league. Meetings of the body of dolegates shall
bo hold at tho soat of tho lcaguo or at other
places as may bo found convenient, and shall
consist of representatives of tho high contract-
ing parties. Each of tho high contracting parties
shall have .ono vote, but may have not more than
three representatives.
"ARTICLE THREE
"Tho oxocutivo council shall consist of repre-1
sohtativos of tho United States of America, tho
"British ompiro, Franco, Italy and Japan, to
gothor with representatives of four other states,
mombors of tho league. Tho selection of those
four statos shall be made by tho body of del
egates on., such principles and in such manner
as thoy think lit. Ponding tho appointment of
these representatives of the other states, rep
resentatives of (blank space left) shall be mem
bers of tho oxocutivo council.
"Mootings of tho council shall bo held from
timo to timo as occasion may require and at
least once a year, at whatever place may be
decided on, or falling any such decision, at tho
soat of tho league, and any matter within tho
sphere of action ot the league or affecting the
peace of tho world may bo dealt with at such
mootings.
"Invitations shall bo sent to any power to at
tend a mooting of tho council at which matters
directly affecting its interests are to bo dis
cussed, and no decision taken at any mooting
will bo binding on such power unless so invited.
"ARTICLE FOUR
"All matters of procedure at meetings of the
hody of dolegates or the executive council, in
cluding the appointment of. committees to in
vestigate particular mattors, shall be regulated
by tho body of dolegates or the executive coun
cil, and may be decided by a majority of the
states represented at the meeting.
"Tho first meethig of the body of delegates
and of the executive council shall bo summoned
by the President of tho United States of
America
"ARTICLE FIVE
"Tho permanent secretariat of the league
shall bo established at (blank), which shall con
st! tuto the seat of tte league. The secretariat
shall comprlso such secretaries and staff as may
ho required, under the general direction and
control of a secrotary-goneral of tho league
who shall bo chosen by the executive council'
The secretariat shall be appointed by tho secret
tary-goneral subject to confirmation by the
executive council.
V.Tho secretary-general shall act in tho capa
city at all meetings of tho body of delegates or
the executive council.
"The expenses of the secretariat shall be
borne by the states members of the league in
accordanco with tho apportionment of tho ex
penses of the international bureau of the uni
versal postal union.
JLel2
lie of Nations
"ARTICLE SIX
"Representatives of tho high contracting
parties and officials of tho league when engaged
on tho business of the league shall enjoy diplo
matic privileges and immunities, and the build
ings occupied by the league or its officials or by
representatives attending the meetings shall en
joy tho bonefits of oxtra territoriality.
"ARTICLE SEVEN
"Admission to tho league of states not sig
natories to the covena-t and not named in the
protocol hereto as states to bo invited to adhere
to tho covenant, roquires the assent of not less
than two-thirds of tho states represented in the
body of dolegates, and shall bj limited to fully
self-governing countries, including dominions
and colonies.
"No state shall be admitted to the league un
less it is able to givo effective guarantees of its
sincere intention to observe its international ob
ligations, and unless it shall conform to such
principles as may be prescribed by the league
in regard to its naval and military forces and
armaments.
"ARTICLE EIGHT
"Tho high contracting parties recognize the
principle that the maintenance of peace will re
quire tho reduction of national armament to tho
lowest point consistent with national safety and
the enforcement by common action of interna
tional obligations, having special regard to the
geographical situation and circumstances of each
state; and tho executive council shall formulate
plans for effecting such reduction. The executive
council shall also determine for tho considera
tion and action of the several governments,
what military equipment and armament is fair
and reasonable in -proportion to the scale of
forces laid down in the program of disarma
ment; and these limits, when adopted, shall not
bo oxceedod without the permission of the execu
tive council.
"Tho high contracting parties agree, that the
manufacture by private enterprise of munitions
and implements of war lends itself to grave ob
jections, and direct the executive council to ad
vise how tho evil effects attendant upon such
manufacture can bo prevented, due regard being
had to the necessities of these countries which
aro not able to manufacture for themselves the
munitions and implements of war necessary for
thoir Safety.
"The high contracting parties undertake in no
way to- conceal from each other the condition of
such- of their industries as are capable of being
adapted to war-liko purposes or tho scale of
their armaments and agree that there shall be
f! i andnffank interchange of information as to
their military and naval programs.
"ARTICLE NINE
"P1erm??en,t commission shall bo constituted
to advise the league on the execution of tho
provisions of Article Eight and on military and
naval questions generally. y a
"ARTICLE TEN
"The high contracting parties undertake to
respect, and preserve lb against external I aSrea
sion tho territorial integrity and exist if
ical independence of all tateS "JeSS! VSe
league. In case of any such aggression Li
case of any threat or danger o ' E aggression
tho executive council shall advise 2 11
means by which the obligation "shabe fulfilled6
"ARTICLE ELEVEN
parties or not! is hereby tofcwd a r?0""1!
concern to the leaEue ami thl i,. ,. mat'er of
parties reserve K M StMS
?ti$it sister ,to "
ing parties to- draw thonfLf. Igh cntract
of delegates or ohe'xecutW scouncn n7
circumstances affecting internatinnni ? I1 to any
which threaten to disturb ln?nr?i intercorse
tho good understanding betwSS Mn?? Peaco or
which peaco depends betweQn nations upon
' "Th i , , "ARTICLB TWELVE
net be adjusted bAd
, - .,.; !liQ.3
s
diplomacy, they will in no case resnrf .
withqut. -previously submitting the aZL lr
.matters involved either to arbitrate? 0I? m
qufry by .the executive connHi on F fa.
months after the award by the arbitrators6
recommendation by the executive coZi? a
icwuimcuuiuu uy uiO eXeCUUVO oniinli
that they .will not oven then resort to !' m
bi"dv , uiuuiutu- ui ue league whfMi ..
.with the award of t.h nrwtt. c?. comP"ej
.... w .. sfc una at UHtatOrS Or tho ro
mendations of the exc cutlve council.
xn any caso, unaer this article thn ,
of the arbitrators shall be made within ar,?ard
able time, and the recommendation of tho Iv
live council shall be made within bKJ?
after the submission of the dispute. nths
"ARTICLE THIRTEEN
"The", high contracting parties agree thai
whenever any dispute or difficulty shall nS
between them which they recognize to bo si?
able for submission to arbitration, and whi 2
cannot bo satisfactorily settled by diplomacy Z
will submit the whole matter to arbitration
For this purpose the court of arbitration to
which the case is referred, shall be the court
agreed on by the parties or stipulated in any
convention existing between them. The high
contracting parties agree that they will carry
out in full good faith any award that may be
rendered. In the event of any failure to carry
out the award the executive council shall pro
pose what steps can best be given to give effect
thereto.
"ARTICLE FOURTEEN
"The executive council shall formulate plana
for the establishment of a permanent court of
international justice, and this court shall, when
established, be competent to hear and determino
any matter which the parties recognize as suit
able for submission to it, for arbitration under
tho foregoing article.
"ARTICLE FIFTEEN
"If there should arise between states' members
of the league any dispute likely to lead to rup
ture, which is not submitted to arbitration as
abovve, the high contracting parties agreo that
thpy will refer the matter to the executive coun
cil. Either party to the dispute may give notico
of the existence of the dispute to the secretary
general, who will make all necessary arrange
ments for a full investigation and consideration
thereof.' For this purpose the parties agree to
communicate to the secretary-general as prompt
ly as possible, statements of their case, with all
the relevant facts and papers, and the executive
council may forthwith direct the publication
thereof.
"Where the efforts of the council lead to the
settlement of the disputo, a statement shall be
published indicating the nature of the dispute
and the terms of settlement, together with such
explanations as may be appropriate. If the dis
pute has not been settled, a report by the coun
cil shall be published, setting forth with all
necessary facts and explanations the recommen
dation which the council thinks just and proper
for tho settlement of the dispute.
"If the report is unanimously agreed to by
the members of the council other than the
parties to the dispute," the high contracting
parties agree that they will not go to war with
any party which complies with the recommenda
tions and that, if any party shall refuse so to
comply, the council shall propose measures nee--essary
to give effect to the recommendation. Ij
no such unanimous .report can be made, it shall
be the duty of the majority and the privilege io
the minority to issue statements indicating what
th,oy believe to be facts and1 containing the rea
sons which they consider to bo just and proper.
"The executive council may in any case under
this article refer the dispute to the body of dele
gates. The dispute shall be so referred at the
request of either party to the dispute, provweo
tl at such request must be made within fourteen
days after the submission of the dispute. In oW
case referred to the body of delegates, all pro
visions of this article and of Article Twelve.
relating to the action and powers of the execu
tive council shall apply to the action and pov
of the body of delegates.
"ARTICLE SIXTEEN
.. . u,. irHeS
"snould any of the high contractu in
break or disregard its covenants under A r .
TWOIVO If oVioll flannltn Cnntn T.Q f1PfilHe(l t0 D'
nm-r,i i. :.. oil the other
committed an act of war against all the o j
ma. horn of fT a lanmia -nrMMl hombV UnOerWa
immediately to subject it to the severance of
trade; or financial relations, the prohlDition
all intercourse between their nationals ana i
nationals of the covenant breaking state,
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