SECURITY PACT.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18548, 25 November 1925, Page 9

SECURITY PACT.

FULL TEXT OP TREATY.

GUARANTEES AND RESERVATIONS.

>Vo publish below the full text of the Treaty of Mutual Guarantee (commonly called the Secuxity Paet). which - -was initialled at Locarno on October ltith. The Security Pact. The test of tho Treaty of Mutual Guarantee (Annex A.of the Final Protocol) reads: — The President of the German Keich; his Majesty the King of the Belgians; tbte President of tho French Republic and his Majesty the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britaiu and Ireland and of the British Dominions beyond tho seas, Emperor of India; his Majesty tho King of Italy; Anxious to satisfy t!ie desire for security and protection which animates tho peoples upon whom fell tho scourgo of the war of 1914-1918;

Taking noto of tho abrogation of the treaties for the neutralisation of Belgium, and eouseicus of the necessity of ensuring peace in the area which has so frequently been the scene of European conflicts; Animated also with tho sincere desire of giving to all the signatory Powers concerned supplementary guarantees within the framowork of tho Covenant of the Leaguo of Nations and tho treaties in force between them; Have determined to conclude a treaty with these objects, and have appointed as their Plenipotentiaries : Who, having communicated their full powers, found in good and due form, have agreed as follows: — Article I.— Tho High Contracting Parties collectively and severally guarantee"; in the manner provided in tho following articles, tho maintenance of the territorial status quo resulting from the frontiers between Germany and Belgium and between Germany and Franco and the inviolability of tho said frontiers as fixed by or in pursuance of the Treaty of Peace signed at Versailles on June 28th, 1919, and also the observance of the stipulations of Articles 42 or 43 of the said Treaty concerning tho demilitarised zone.

A r ticle 2.—Germany and Belgium, and also Germany and Prance, mutually undertake that they will in no case attack or invade each other or resort to war against each other. This stipulation , shall not, however, apply in the case of: (1) The exercise of the right of legitimate defence', that is to say resistance to a violation of tho undertaking contained in the previous paragraph or to a flagrant breach of Articles 42 or 43 of tho said Treaty of Versailles, if such breach constitutes an unprovoked act of aggression and by reason of the assembly of armed forces in- the demilitarised zone immodiato action is necessary; ,

(2) Action in pursuance of Article 1C of the Covenant of the League of Nations.

(3) Action as the result of a decision taken by tho Assembly or by the Council of the League of Nations or in pursuance of Article 15, paragraph 7, of the Covenant of the League of Nations, provided that •in this last event the action is directed against a State which was the first to attack. Article 3.—ln view of the undertakings entered into in Article 2 of the present treaty, Germany and Belgium and Germany and France undertake to settle by peaceful means and in the. manner laid down herein all questions ! of every kind which may arise between them and which it may not bo possible to settle by the normal mothods of diplomacy. Any question with regard to which tho parties aro in eonilict as to their respective rights shall ibo submitted to judicial decision, and the parties undertake to comply with such, decision. All other questions shall be submitted to a conciliation commission. If the proposals of this commission aro , not accepted by the two parties, the question shall be brought before the Council of tho League of Nations, which will deal with it in accordance with Artiofe 15 of tho Covenant of the League. Tho detailed arrangements for effecting such peaceful settlement are the subject of special agreements signed this day. Article 4.— (1) If one of the High Contracting Parties alleges that a violation of Article 2 of the present Treaty or a breach of Articles 42 or 43 of the Treaty of Versailles has been or is being committed, it shall bring the question at once before the Council of the League of Nations.

(2) As soon as the Council of the League of Nations is satisfied that such violation or breach has been committed, it will notify its finding without delay to the Powers signatory of the present Treaty, who severally agree that In such case they will each of them come immediately to the assistance of the Power against whom the act complained of is directed. (3) In case of a flagrant violation of Article 2 of the present Treaty or of a flagrant breach of Articles 42 or 43 of the Treaty of Versailles by one of the High Contracting Parties, each of the other Contracting Parties hereby under takes immediately to como to the help of the Party against whom such a violation or breach has been directed as soon as the said Power has been able to satisfy itself that this violation constitutes an unprovoked act of aggression and that by reason either of the crossing of the frontier or of the outbreak of hostilities or of the assembly of aimed forces in the demilitarised zone immediate action is necessary. Nevertheless the Council of the League of Nations, which will be seized of the question in accordance _with tho first paragraph of " this article, will issue its findings, and the High Contra'cting Parties undertake to act in accordance with the recommendations of the Council provided that they are concurred in by all the members other than the representatives of the Parties which have engaged in hostilities.

Article s.—The provisions of Article 3 of the present Treaty are placed under the guarantee of the High Contracting Parties as provided by the following stipulations:— . If one of the Powers referred to in Article 3 refuses to submit a dispute to peaceful settlement or to comply with an arbitral or judicial decision and commits a violation of Article 2 of the present Treaty cr a breach of Articles 42 or 43 of the Treaty o# Versailles, the provisions of Article 4 shall apply. Where one of the Powers referred to in Article 3, without committing a violation of Article 2 of the present Treaty or a breach of Articles 42 or 43 of the Treaty of Versailles, refuses to submit a dispute to peaceful settlement or* to comply with an arbitral or judieial decision, the other Party shall bring the matter before the Council of tho League of Nations, and the Council shall propose what steps shall be taken j, f!te High Contracting Parties shall comply •with these proposals. Article 6.—The provisions of the present Treaty do not affect the rights and obligations of the High Contracting Parties under the Treaty of Versailles or under arrangements supplementary thereto, including the' agreements signed in London on August 30th, 1924. Article 7.—The. present Treaty, which is designed to ensue the maintenance of

peace and is ia conformity with the Covenant of the League of Nations, shall not be interpreted as rcstrietiag the duty of the League to take whatever action may "be deemed wise and effectual to safeguard the peace of the world. Article Br—The present Treaty shall be registered at the League of Nations in accordance with the OoTenant of the League. It shall remain in force «utfi| the Council, acting on » Toqnsst of one or other of the High Oatraefing P*i* ties notified to the other signatory Powers three months ia advance, end voting at least by *two-thirds decides that the League of Nations «*•* safes sufficient protection to the High Contracting Parties; the Treaty shall cease tfi have effect on the expiration of a period of one year from such decision.

. Article 9.—The present Treaty shall impose mo obligation upon any. of the British Dominions, Or upon India, unless the Government of such Dominion, or of India, signifies its acceptance thereof. Article IOT-The present treaty shall be ratified and tho ratifications shall be deposited at Geneva in the archive* of. the League of Nations as soon as possible. It shall enter into force at | soon as all the ratifications hare h*en deposited and Germany has beeense a member of the League of Nations. The present Treaty, dan» in * angle copy, will be deposited in the .archives of the League of .Nations, and the •Sec-retary-General will be requested to transmit certified copies to each of the High Contracting Parties. In faith whereof the above-nwaticned Plenipotentiaries have' signed the present Treaty. Done at Locarno the Sixteenth of October, 1925. Luther, Stresemann, Emile Tender* velde, A. Bria'nd,. Austen Chamber* lain,, Benito Mussolini. ■ t GERMANY'S RATIFICATION. go4mment promises Designation. (iitmta's tsuwbxmsJ BERLIN, November 23. At the opening of the Locarno Treaties debate in the Reichstag, Dr. Luther, Chancellor, declared that the Government would resign after the signature of the Locarno agreements in London, on December Ist. He was of the opinion, that the new Government could only be one which Has determined to pursue a policy of harmonising, the Locarno agreemunts, and pointed out that Germany was euro of a seat at the Council of the League of Nations. Dr. Lather said that Germany's right, to colonial mandates had been acknowledged, and the Government expected its claims would be conceded.