THE COVENANT OF THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS
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
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 Representatives 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.
ARTICLE 16.
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
nationals 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
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
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.
ARTICLE 17.
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 16 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 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.
ARTICLE 18.
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.
ARTICLE 19.
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.
ARTICLE 20.
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.
ARTICLE 21.
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.
ARTICLE 22.
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 recognized 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.
ARTICLE 23.
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.
ARTICLE 24.
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
convention 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.
ARTICLE 25.
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.
ARTICLE 26.
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 amendments shall 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.
ANNEX
I. ORIGINAL MEMBERS OF THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS
SIGNATORIES
OF THE TREATY OF PEACE.
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
BELGIUM
BOLIVIA
BRAZIL
BRITISH EMPIRE
CANADA
AUSTRALIA
SOUTH AFRICA
NEW ZEALAND
INDIA
CHINA
CUBA
ECUADOR
FRANCE
HAITI
HEDJAZ
HONDURAS
ITALY
JAPAN
LIBERIA
NICARAGUA
PANAMA
PERU
POLAND
PORTUGAL
ROUMANIA
SERB-CROAT-SLOVENE STATE
SIAM
GREECE
GUATEMALA
CZECHO-SLAVAKIA
URUGUAY
STATES INVITED TO ACCEDE TO THE COVENANT.
ARGENTINE REPUBLIC
CHILI
COLOMBIA
DENMARK
NETHERLANDS
NORWAY
PARAGUAY
PERSIA
SALVADOR
SPAIN
SWEDEN
SWITZERLAND
VENEZUELA
II. FIRST SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS.
The Honourable Sir James Eric DRUMMOND, K.C.M.G., C.B.