From the coming into force of the present treaty the state of war will terminate. From the moment and subject to the provisions of this treaty, official relations with Germany, and with each of the German States, will be resumed by the allied and associated Powers. SECTION I LEAGUE OF NATIONS The covenant of the League of Nations constitutes Section I of the peace treaty, which places upon the League many specific, in addi- Specific tion to its general, duties. It may question Germany at any time for a violation of a neu- League of tralized zone east of the Rhine as a threat against the world's peace. It will appoint three of the five members of the Sarre Commission, oversee its rêgime, and carry out the plebiscite. It will appoint the High Commissioner of Danzig, guarantee the independence of the free city, and arrange for treaties between Danzig and Germany and Poland. It will work out the mandatory system to be applied to the former German colonies, and act as a final court in part of the plebiscites of the BelgianGerman frontier, and in disputes as to the Kiel Canal, and decide certain of the economic and financial problems. An International Conference on Labor is to be held in October under its direction, and another on the international control of ports, waterways, and railways is foreshadowed. MEMBERSHIP duties of the Nations. states members The members of the League will be the sig- How natories of the covenant and other States in- may vited to accede who must lodge a declaration become of accession without reservation within two or withmonths. A new State, dominion, or colony may draw. be admitted, provided its admission is agreed secretariat to by two-thirds of the assembly. A State may withdraw upon giving two years' notice, if it has fulfilled all its international obligations. SECRETARIAT Permanent A permanent secretariat will be established at Geneva. at the seat of the League, which will be at Geneva. Voting by ASSEMBLY The Assembly will consist of representatives of the members of the League, and will meet at stated intervals. Voting will be by States. Each member will have one vote and not more than three representatives. COUNCIL The Council will consist of representatives of the Five Great Allied Powers, together with representatives of four members selected by the Meetings Assembly from time to time; it may co-opt additional States and will meet at least once a year. at least once a year. Members not represented will be invited to send a representative when questions affecting their interests are discussed. Voting will be by States. Each State will have one vote and not more than one representative. A decision taken by the Assembly and Council must be unanimous except in regard to procedure and in certain cases specified in the covenant and in the treaty, where decisions will be by a majority. ARMAMENTS The Council will formulate plans for a reduction of armaments for consideration and adoption. These plans will be revised every ten years. Once they are adopted, no member must exceed the armaments fixed without the concurrence of the Council. All members will ex commis change full information as to armaments and Permanent programs, and a permanent commission will sion on advise the Council on military and naval and naval questions. PREVENTING OF WAR military questions. to submit disputes to tion. Upon any war, or threat of war, the Council will meet to consider what common action shall be taken. Members are pledged to submit matters of dispute to arbitration or inquiry and Members not to resort to war until three months after the award. Members agree to carry out an arbitraarbitral award and not to go to war with any party to the dispute which complies with it. If a member fails to carry out the award, the Council will propose the necessary measures. The Council will formulate plans for the establishment of a permanent court of international justice to determine international disputes or to give advisory opinions. Members who do not submit their case to arbitration must accept the jurisdiction of the Assembly. If the Council, less the parties to the dispute, is unanimously agreed upon the rights of it, the members agree that they will not go to war with any party to the dispute which complies with its recommendations. In this case, a recommendation, by the Assembly, concurred in by all its members represented on the Council and a simple majority of the rest, less the parties to the dispute, will have the force of a unanimous recommendation by the Council. In either case, if the necessary agreement cannot be secured, the members reserve the right to take such [action?] as may be necessary for the maintenance of right and justice. Members resorting to war in disregard of the covenant will immediately be debarred from all inter- Council course with other members. The Council will consider in such cases consider what military or naval means to action can be taken by the League collectively covenants. to protect E.W.-11 Vol. III Monroe Doctrine not to be invalidated. For nations not able to stand alone. Provisional ence. for the protection of the covenants and will afford facilities to members cooperating in this enterprise. VALIDITY OF TREATIES All treaties or international engagements concluded after the institution of the League will be registered with the secretariat and published. The Assembly may from time to time advise members to reconsider treaties which have become inapplicable or involve danger to peace. The covenant abrogates all obligations between members inconsistent with its terms, but nothing in it shall affect the validity of international engagements such as treaties of arbitration or regional understandings like the Monroe Doctrine for securing the maintenance of peace. THE MANDATORY SYSTEM The tutelage of nations not yet able to stand by themselves will be intrusted to advanced nations who are best fitted to undertake it. The covenant recognizes three different stages of development requiring different kinds of mandatories: (a) Communities like those belonging to the independ- Turkish Empire, which can be provisionally recognized as independent, subject to advice and assistance from mandatary in whose selection they would be allowed a voice. (b) Communities like those of Central Africa, to be administered by the mandatary under conditions generally approved by the members of the League, where equal opportunities for trade will be allowed to all members; certain abuses, such as trade in slaves, arms, and liquor will be prohibited, and the constructo be pro- tion of military and naval bases and the introduction of compulsory military training will be disallowed. Abuses hibited. determine manda (c) Other communities, such as Southwest League to Africa and the South Pacific Islands, but ad- degree of ministered under the laws of the mandatary as tary's integral portions of its territory. In every authority. case the mandatary will render an annual report, and the degree of its authority will be defined. GENERAL INTERNATIONAL PROVISIONS maintain conditions Subject to and in accordance with the provisions of international convention, existing or hereafter to be agreed upon, the members of the League will in general endeavor, through the international organization established by the Labor Convention, to secure and maintain fair To conditions of labor for men, women and chil- fair dren in their own countries and other coun- of labor. tries, and undertake to secure just treatment of the native inhabitants of territories under their control; they will entrust the League with the general supervision over the execution of agreements for the suppression of traffic in women and children, &c.; and the control of the trade in arms and ammunition with countries in which control is necessary; they will make provision for freedom of communication and transit and equitable treatment for commerce of all members of the League, with special reference to the necessities of regions devastated during the war; and they will endeavor to take steps for international prevention and Steps for control of disease. International bureaus and and commissions already established will be placed disease. under the League, as well as those to be established in the future. AMENDMENTS TO THE COVENANT Amendments to the covenant will take effect when ratified by the Council and by a majority of the Assembly. prevention control of |