Show WORLD PEACE IN Hi SAFE HANDS Text of League Plan as Drawn Up by the Conference at Paris AGREE ON CONCERTED ACTION Will B Be Reduced to to the he Lowest Point Consistent With National Safety United States Executive to to C Call II First Session S Par Paris s Feb 14 President President Wilson Nilson as chairman of th the commission read the full draft of the league of nations covenant at a meeting ot of the plenary ary commission at the Qua Quai dOrsay The text follows COVENANT Preamble In In order to promote International in international In co co- operation co-operation and to o secure international peace and security by bythe bythe tI the e acceptance of oJ obligations ons not to resort to war by the prescription of o open en Just and honorable relations between between between be be- tween nations by the firm est establishment establishment establish establish- blish ment of the understandings of international international inter inter- I national l law as the actual rule of conduct among governments and bj by bythe the maintenance of Justice and a scrupulous scrupulous respect for a all 1 treaty obliga- obliga ions in the dealings of organized p people ople with one another the pow powers rs signatory to this c covenant venant adopt this constitution of the league of nations ARTICLE I. I The action of the high contracting parties under the terms of this covenant covenant cove cove- nant shall be effected through l the instrumentality In in instrumentality of a meeting of a body of delegates representing the high con contracting i parties r les of of meeting meetings at more frequent l intervals of an executive council and of a a permanent International international secretariat to be est established fat it the seat of the league ARTICLE II Meetings 1 of the body of delegates shall be held at stated intervals and from time to time as occasion may require re- re re require require quire for the purpose purpose of d dealing with matters within the sphere of action of the league Meetings of the body of delegates shall be held at the seat of the league or at such other places as may be found convenient and shall consist of r representatives of the high contract contracting ng parties s. s Each of the high contracting parties shall have one vote but may have not more Ilore than three representatives ARTICLE III I The executive council shall consist 1 I of of representatives es of the United States of America the British empire France Italy and Japan together with Ith representatives representatives' of four other states members members' of the league The selection of these four states shall be made by the body of delegates on such principles and in such manner as they think fit Pending the appointment of these representatives of the other states representatives of blank left I Ifor for names sh shall n be members of the executive council ARTICLE IV The first meeting of the b body dy of delegates and th the executive council councils shall be summoned un mo 1 d by the President nt of of the United States of f America I ARTIC ARTICLE E V v. v The permanent secretariat of f th the league shall be beest established at blank which shall c constitute the seat of the th league The secretariat shall com comprise corn com l prise such secretaries and staff as may mayDe maybe maytie be tie required under the general direction dire tion a and d control of a secretary general of the league who wh shall be chosen by bythe the the executive council the secretariat shall be appointed by the secret secretary ry g general subject ct to confirmation c by the the executive council ARTICLE VI Representatives of the high contractIng contracting contract contract- Ing parties parries and officials of the l league ngue when engaged in the business of the league eague shall enjoy diplomatic privileges privileges lieges and immunities and the build build- buildings ings occupied d by the league or Its officials offida of of- fida or pI by representatives attending Its meetings Its shall enjoy the benefits of extra territoriality ARTICLE VII 3 Admission to to the league leaine of states tates not signatories to to the covenant and not named in the pr protocol tocoi da as s states to tob tobe be b Invited to to adhere tov to th the covenant requires the assent of i not less hot ot less than two thirds of the states represented Inthe Inthe in inthe the body of delegates and shall shaH be be- limited to fully tully self governing countries countries coun coun- tries including dominions uns and col colonies No state shall be admitted to the league e unless unless It is able to give err effective g guarantees of its sincere Intention to o its International obligations end nd unless it shall conform to such principles as may be prescribed by the thc leagUe eague in regard to its naval and mill mill- league in regard to its naval and nary ary forces and armaments ARTICLE y VIII i The high contracting parties reco recognize recognize nize the principle that the m lance nance of peace will require the reduce lion tion of national armament to the lowest lowest low low- est cst point consistent with national safety and the enforcement by common consent of international obligations having special regard to the leal ical situation situation vand circumstances of each state The hl high h contracting parties agree that the manufacture by private enterprise enterprise enter prise of munitions and Implements of ot war lends itself to grave objections and and- direct the executive council to advise how the evil e effects attendant upon upon such uh manufacture can be ehl bt eel ed ue rega regard rd b being had to the necessities ne ne- of these countries nun tries which arc arft not able to manufacture for themselves them themselves selves the munitions and Implements of war fir necessary for their safety safet ARTICLE IX commission shall be constituted con con- constituted to advise the league on the tIu execution of the provisions of Article Eight and on military and naval questions questions questions ques ques- generally ARTICLE X The high contracting parties shall I undertake to respect and preserve as agal against st external aggression the territorial territorial ter ter- territorial Integrity and existing political independence of all states members members' 1 of the league In case ease of any such aggression or In case of any threat or danger of such aggression the executive executive executive ex ex- council advise upon upon th the means by which the obligation shall be fulfilled ARTICLE XI Any war or or 01 threat of war whether Immediately affecting any of the high contracting parties or not is hereby declared a matter natt r of concern to the league league and the high contracting parties parties par par- ties reserve the right to take any action action action ac ac- ac- ac tion that t may be deemed wise and effectual effectual effectual ef ef- ef- ef to safeguard the peace of na ARTICLE XII The high contracting parties agree that should disputes arise between them which cannot be adjusted by the thC ordinary processes processes of Jf diplomacy they w will wilY ilp in no case resort to war without without previously submitting the questions and matters involved either to arbitration tion or to Inquiry by the executive council and until three months after the award by the arbitrators or a recommendation recommendation rec rec- by the executive council council coun coun- cil and that they will not even even then resort to war as against a member of the league which complies with the theaward aw award aid of arbitration or the recommendation of the the executive council U ARTICLE XIII The high contracting parties s whenever whenever when when- ever any dispute or difficulty shall arise between them which they recognize rec to be suitable to arbitration and which cannot be satisfactorily settled by diplomacy will submit the whole matter to o nr arbitration For this p purpose the court of f 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 wll carry o out t tIn In In full good faith any award that may mayI maybe I rendered be In lathe the ev event ent of any failure failure fail fall ure to carry out gut the award the executive ex- ex council counell sh shall shrill ll propose what steps can cap best be be taken taken to to give affect thereto th reto I ARTICLE XIV The executive council shall formulate formulate formu late pl plans ns for the establishment of f a permanent court of ln In International Justice justice Jus jus- tice and this court shall wl when n stab established be competent to hear and determine de fie- e- e termine any matter which the parties recognize z as suitable f for r the submission son sion to It for arbitration under t the l foregoing fore fore- fore fore- g gong going Ing article ARTICLE XV If there should arise between states states' I members of the league any dispute te lively to lead ead to rupture which Is not submitted to arbitration as above the high contracting parties agree agrees that they will refer the matter to the council o either either- party t to the dispute dis dis- m may y give notice e Q of the ext et tence ence of of the dispute to the s secretary general who will make all necessary arrangements arrangements arrange- arrange ments meats for a full Investigation and consideration consideration con con- thereof Where the efforts of the council lead I Ito to the settlement of the dispute a a state state- ment shall be published published- Indicating the nature of the dispute e and the terms of settlement together with such explanations explanations as may be appropriate If the dispute die dis has not been bee settled a report by the council shall be published setting forthwith forth with all necessary facts and explanations the recommendations which h the council thinks just and proper for the Ute settlement of of the dispute If the report Is unanimously unanimously unanimously agreed to by the members o of the council other than the parties to the dispute dispute dis die puts the high contracting parties agree that they will not go to war with any party which compiles with the he recommendations recommendations ns and that if any party shall refuse so to comply the council shall pro pro- posh pose measures necessary to tc give effect to the he reason If no such unanimous report can can be made It shall be the duty of the majority and the privilege of the minority to Issue statements indicating what they they relieve believe to be the facts and containing the reasons which they consider to be just Juat and proper i The executive council may In any ny ease case Under this article refer reter the dispute to the theody body pody of Df delegates The dispute shall be ber r referred at the request of either party to xo the dispute provided that such request must be bey made within fourteen days after the submission of he dispute In any case referred to the body of delegates all the provisions of this article and of Article Arti Artl- cle ele cl Twelve relating to the action and powers p of the executive council shall apply to the action and powers of the body of delegates ARTICLE XVI Should any of the high contracting parties break or disregard Its covenants covenants covenants cove cove- nants under Article XII It shill shU thereby ipsa ipso facto be deemed to have committed commit commit- ted an act net of ot war against all the other members of the league which hereby undertakes Immediately to subject It to the severance of all trade or financial finan financial finlin finan- cial relations the prohibition of all Intercourse between their nationals and the nationals of the covenant breaking state and the provE prevention of ot all 1111 financial financial financial finan finan- cial commercial or personal Intercourse Intercourse intercourse Inter Inter- course between the nationals of ot th the covenant-breaking covenant state and the na nationals nationals nationals na- na of bf any other sta state te whether a II member of or the league or not It shall be the duty of or th the executive council In such ca case e to recommend l what whit effective military or naval nl force torce the members mt of of the league shall severally severally severally sev sev- contribute to the armed forces to be used to protect the covenants of the league ARTICLE In the event of disputes between one state member of ot the tha league and another another another an an- other state which Is not a member of the league the high contracting parties agree that ih lh the state or states not tNt mem members bers of the league shall be invited to accept the obligations of membership In the league for the purposes of ot such dispute upon such conditions as the executive council may deem Just and upon acceptance of any such Invitation s the above provisions shall be applied with such modifications as may be deemed necessary by the league In the event o of a power a so Invited re refusing refusing refusing re- re fusing to accept the obligations of ot membership membership membership mem mem- In the league for the purposes orthe ot or the league which in the case of ot a state member of the league would constitute a breach of or Article XII the provisions of Article XVI shall be applicable as against the state taking such action ARTICLE The high contracting parties agree that the league shall be entrusted ed with general supervision of ot the trade in arms and ammunition ammunition am am- on with the countries In which the control of t this traffic Is necessary In the common interest ARTICLE To those colonies and territories which as a consequence of the late war have hav ceased to be under the sovereignty of the states which formerly governed them and which ar are Inhabited by peoples not yet 1 able to stand by themselves under the strenuous conditions of ot the modern world there should be applied the principle that the and development of ot such peoples form fonn a sacred trust of civilization and that securities for the performance of ot this trust should be embodied In the constitution of or the league The best method of giving practical effect effect effect ef ef- ef- ef to this principle Is that the tutelage of ot such peoples 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 that this tutelage should be exercised by them as mandatory mandatory mandatory manda manda- tory on behalf of the league Certain communities formerly belonging to the Turkish empire have reached a stage of ot development which their existence existence exist exist- ence as Independent nations can be provisionally provisionally provisionally pro pro- recognized subject to the rendering rendering rendering ren ren- dering of ot administrative advice and assistance assistance as assistance as- as by mandatory power until such time as they are able to stand alone The wishes of ot these communities must be b a principal consideration in the selection of the mandatory power There are territories such as southwest Africa and certain of ot the south Pacific Isles which owing to the sparseness of their population or their small size or their remoteness from the centers of civilization or their geographical continuity ity to th the mandatory state and nd other circumstances circumstances circumstances cir cir- cir cir- can be e best administered d under under under un un- der the laws of the mandatory state as all Integral portions thereof subject to the safeguards above mentioned In the Int Inter Interests Inter rests r- r ests eats of the Indigenous population In every case of mandate the mandatory mandatory mandatory manda manda- tory state stater shall render to the league an annual report |