LEAGUE OF NATIONS

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIV, Issue 10275, 9 May 1919, Page 5

LEAGUE OF NATIONS

SECTION !

MEMBERSHIP SECRETARIAT. A permanent secretariat will be established at the seat of the League, which will bo Genera. ' THE ASSEMBLE. The Assembly will consist of representatives of members of. the Longue and will meet, "at stated Intervals. Voting will be by States.. Each member will have one vote, and not more than three representatives. THE COUNCIL. The Council will consist of the representatives -of -the -five great Allied Powers, together with" the representatives of "four other'Members, selected

by the Assembly from time to time. It may admit additional Slates, and will meet at least once a year. Members not represented will be invited to send a representative when questions affecting their interests arc to be discussed. Voting will bo by the States, and each State will hare on© vote and not more tnnn one representative. The decisions taken by the. Assembly and the Council must bo unanimous, except in regard to procedure and in certain cases specified in the Covenant and in the Treaty, where the decisions will bo by majority. REDUCTION OP ARMAMENTS.

The Council will formulate plans for the 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, and all members will exchange full information as to armaments and programmes ; and the Permanent Commission will advise the Council on military and naval qucs. turns. PREVENTION OF WAR. Upon any war or threat of war, the Council will meet to consider what common action shall be taken. The members are pledged to submit matters in dispute to arbitration or inquiry, and not to resort to war until three months after an award is given. The members agree to carry out an arbitral award, and not to go to war with any party to a 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 give advisory opinions. Members who do not submit their cases to arbitration must accept the jurisdiction of the Council or Assembly. If the Council (less the parties to the dispute) is unanimously agreed upon the rights, or if the members agree that they will not go to war with any party to the dispute which complies with its recommendations, in this ease recommendations 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 cither case, if the necessary agreement cannot bo secured, the members reserve the right to take such action as may ho necessary for the maintenance of -right and justice. Members resorting to war in disregard of the Covenant will bo immediately debarred from all intercourse with other members. The Council will in such cnees consider what military or naval action can be taken by the League collectively for the protection of its covenants, and will afford facilities to members co-operating in this enterprise. TREATMENT 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 timo advise members to reconsider treaties _ which have become inapplicable, or whioh involve danger to peace. The Covenant abrogates all obligations between members inconsistent with its terms, but, nothing in it shall affect the validity 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 bo entrusted to the advanced nations who are best fitted to undertake it. The Covenant recognises three different stages of development requiring different kinds of mandates:

(a) Communities like those belonging to the Turkish Empire, which can be provisionally recognised as independent, subject to advice and assistance from iho mandatory in whose selection they should ibe allowed a voice. (b) Communities like those of Central Africa, to be administered by a mandatory under conditions generally approved by the members of the League, where equal opportunities for trade shall be allowed to all the members. Certain abuses, such as trade in slaves, arms, and liquor, will bo prohibited, and the construction of military and naval base*, and the introduction of compulsory military training will be disallowed. (c) Other communities, such as those of South-West Africa, and the South Pacific Islands, will be best administered under the laws of the mandatory as integral portions of its territory. In every case the mandatory will render an annual report, and the degree of its authority will bo defined.

PROVISIONS FOR LABOUR AND OTHER MATTERS.

Subject to and in accordance with the provision of international conventions, existing or hereafter to be agreed upon, the members of the League will in general endeavour, through an international organisation established by the Labour Convention, to secure and maintain fair conditions of labour for men, women, and children in their own countries and other countries, and will undertake to secure just treatment for native inhabitants of the 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, etc., and the control of trade in arms and ammunition with countries in which control is necessary. They will make provision for freedom of communications and transit and equitable treatment for the commerce of'all the members of the League, with special reference to the necessities of the regions devastated during the war, and will endeavour to take stops for the international prevention and control of disease. International bureaux and commissions already established will be placed under the League, as will all those to bo established in the future. AMENDMENTS TO COVENANT.

Amendments to the Covenant will take effect when ratified by the Council and by a majority of tho Assembly.