Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 131, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 June 1919 — THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS [ARTICLE]

THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS

COVENANT TO BE PART OF THE VERSAILLES PEACE TREATY. (Louis H. Hamilton.) In the preamble and first six articles of the covenant of the League of Nations we have clearly stated the aim of the proposed covenant. Two bodieis ape provided. The Assembly is to consist of all members of the League. As many as three representatives may be present, tint each nation has but one vote. The Council is to consist of the United States of America, the British Empire, France, Italy and Japan and four members of the League to ae selected by the Council With the consent of the Assembly the Council may name additional members. In the Council each member has but one representative and one vote. Where not otherwise provided all decisions must be made only upon the agreement of all members of the Assembly or the Council. The first meeting of the Council and Assembly shall be called by the President of the United States of America. A permanent Secretariat consists of a Secretary General and such secretaries and staff as may be required. The first Secretary General is to be named in the covenant and thereafter is to be appointed by the Council with the approval of the Assembly. So far we have the aims of the covenant, the machinery for its operation and articles 7,8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14 give in part an outline of the workings of the League through the instrumentalities therewith provided. Article VH.

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 tne 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 or jay representatives attending its meetings shall be inviolable. Article VIU. The members of the league recognize that the maintenance of a peace requires the reduction of national armaments to the lowest point consistent with national safety and tije 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 recon•sideration and revision at least every ten years. ■. After these plans shall have been 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 enterprise of munitions and implementsx>f 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 and naval programmes and the condition of such of their Industries as are adaptable to warlike purposes.

P v Article IX. A permanent commission shall be constituted to advise the Council on the execution of the pro vis ons of Articles I and VIII and on military and naval questions generally. Article X. * The members of the league undertake to respect and preserve 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 a.ggreesion, the Council shall advise upon the means by which this obligation shall be fulfilled. / Article XX. 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 anv action that may be deemed wise and effectual to safeguard the peac« 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. ilt is also declared to be the fundamental 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 either the peace ‘or the good understanding between nations Upon which peace depends. > Article XXX. 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 by the case under this article the award of the\arbitrators shall be made within a reasonable time, and the report of the Council shall be made within six months after the, submission of i the dispute. . ~, Article * tn. The members of the league agree that whenever any dispute shall .arise’ b ' tween them which they J? suitable for submission to arbitration and which cannot be satisfactorily the tied by diplomacy, they will «£“!* **? whole subject matter ts-armtration. Disputes as to the Interpretation of a. treaty, as to any question of ‘"ternatreatv as to any -question of interna tional ’ law, as to Abe existence of any tact which if established would consti-

tute 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. For the consideration of any such dispute the court of arbitration to which th» case is referred shall be the court 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 any award that may be rendered and that they will not resort to war a member of the league which e ® therewith. In the event of? any f to carry out such an award, the Ooua cil shall propose what steps should be taken to give effect thereto. Article ajlv. The Council shall formulate and submit to the members of the league for nlans for the establishment Court of International Justice The court shall be co m p6 t’ent mh«ir and determine smy dispute nf an international thereto submit to it. tvun may also give an advisory opinion,upon ? anV’ dispute or question referred to M bV the or by the Assembly.