THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume VI, Issue 1624, 29 April 1919, Page 11 (Supplement)

THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS.

DETAILS OF REVISED COVENANT. PROVIDING AGAINST FUTURE WARS. MACHINERY FOR JOINING AND LEAVING THE LEAGUE. By Cable.—Tress Association. — Copyright. (A. ft NZ ft Reuter.) (Ree. April 29, 1.25 p.m.) NEW YORK, April 27. The revised text of the Covenant of the League of Nations, to be presented at the plenary session of the Peace Conference, is a lengthy document, consisting of 26 articles. It largely covers the gronud already cabled. Article 1 provides that the original members of the League of Nations shall he the signatories to the Peace Treaty and also such other States as shall accede without reservation to the Covenant. Such accessions shall be effected by a declaration deposited with the Secretariate within two mouths of its enforcement. The Covenant also provides for the admission to the League of any fully self-governing State, Dominion, or colony, if agreed to by two-thirds of the assembly, provided it gives guarantees of its sincere intention to observe the international obligations. Any members of the League may, after two years' notice, withdraw from the League, if all its obligations under the Covenant are fulfilled. Article 8, referring to the reduction of armaments, states that such plans will be subject to" reconsideration and revision at least everj- 10 years, and limits the armaments, not to be exceeded without the concurrence of the Couucil. Article 12 provides that if a rupture arises between members of the League, war shall not be resorted to until three months after the Council has given its award on the question, and, if the Council is successful in settling the dispute, a settlement shall be made public giving the full terms of the settlement. If a settlement is not effected, the Council shall publish a statement of the facts of the dispute and the recommendations made by the Council. Members of the League must agree not to go to war with any party to-a dispute which complies with the recommendations of the report. If the Council fails to reach a report unanimously agreed to by the members other than the parties to the dispute, the members of the League reserve the right to take any action considered necessary. Article 16 states that, should a nation resort to war in disregard of its Covenants it shall ipso facto be deemed to have committed an act of war against all the other members of the League, who shall immediately subject it to severance from all trade aud financial relations and prohibit all intercourse between their nationals and the nationals of the Covenant-breaking member, and prevent all financial, commercial, or personal intercourse between the nationals of the Covenant-breaking members of the League and the nationals of any other State, whether a member of the League or not. It will be the duty of the Council in such a case to recommend to the several Governments concerned what effective forces, naval or military, the members of the League can contribute fo protect the Covenants of the League, members also agreeing to support one another in any financial and economic measures taken. Any member violating the Covenant of the League may be declared no longer a member of the League by vote of the Council, concurred in by all the other members represented thereon. Article 17 states that in the event of a dispute between a member of the League and a State not a member, or between States not members of the League, they shall be invited to accept the obligations of membership of the League for the purposes of such dispute, upon conditions that the Council may deem just. Upon giving the invitation the Council shall immediately institute an inquiry into the dispute and recommend the necessary aetion. If both States refuse membership of the League the Council shall take measures to prevent hostilities and settle the dispute. Article 20 requires .members to agree to the Covenant accepted as abrogating all obligations or understandings, inter te, which arc inconsistent with the terms of the Covenant, and undertake not to' enter into a future engagement inconsistent with the terms of the Covenant. Article 21 states that nothing in the Covenant shall be deemed to affect the validity of international engagements such as treaties of arbitration or regional understandings, like the Monroe doctrine, for securing the maintenance of peace. Article 22 provides that those colonies and territories which, in consequence of the late war will not be under the sovereignty of the State formerly governing them, and which are inhabited by peoples unable to stand by themselves under the strenuous conditions of the modern world, there shall be. applied the principle that the well-being and development, of such peoples form the sacred trust of civilisation, and securities for the performance of this trust shall be embodied in the Covenant. This is provided for by mandatories on the part of the League. The mandates are to differ according to the stage of development of the people and tlieir geographical situation, economic condition and other similar circumstances. The Covenant mentions certain communities formerly belonging to the Turkish Empire and other peoples in Central Africa, South-West Africa, and certain South Pacific Islands.