Essential Facts About the League of Nations
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■(/IS. S' ESSENTIAL FACTS ABOUT THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS GENEVA 1937 1. New Buildings of the League 2. International Labour Office 3. Former Buildings of the League (1920-1935) ESSENTIAL FACTS ABOUT THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS EIGHTH EDITION (REVISED) GEN EVA 1937 INFORMATION SECTION r NOTE This publication, which has been prepared by the Informa- tion Section of the League of Nations Secretariat, is not to be regarded as an official document for which the League of Nations is responsible. Passages from the text of the Covenant of the League of Nations appear in heavy type. The complete text of the Covenant is at the beginning of this book. The information herein contained has been revised down to December 31st, 1936. What is public opinion? It is an old but very useful cloak which diplomats and Ministers for Foreign Affairs like to draw around them when their disagreements threaten to embarrass their personal relations. But it is much more than that. It is essentially a feeling which everyone shares. It may at times be coloured by heroism or enthusiasm, dignity or resignation. But some such common feeling there must be, if modern organised societies are to accept the laws and restraints, the surrender of wealth and the possible surrender of life, which are necessary to their preservation. The experience and memories of the last war and of the severe economic depression which followed upon it have focused public opinion on foreign policy. The people of every country find their everyday life affected by variations in other countries. More than this, the view which other peoples take of peace and war, their stability or " dynamism ” (as it is called nowadays) may in every country have the effect of increasing taxation through expenditure on armaments and of endangering the lives of millions. There is something terrifying in such solidarity. We are all in the same boat, and who would not be out of it if he could? But how is any country to fulfil the dream of peaceful solitude when a network of interests, opinions and feelings is woven by machines which traverse sea, land and sky, and by that sightless courier of the air, the wireless? Where, then, do frontiers begin and end? The Rhine, the Mediterranean, Arabia, India, Singapore—can that immense chain be isolated from the rest of the world as though it were a submarine cable? Throughout its whole length it carries the sound and vibration of the economic disturbances, conflicts, revolu- tions, intrigues, ferments and ambitions of all the regions through which it passes, peopled as they are by races aroused at last and finally from their age-long slumber. You cannot ignore this, though you may dream of forget- ting it. F.very morning, every evening, in your bed, in your armchair, on your walks, newspapers, the wireless, the cinema pitilessly remind you that you are forced to live amid the cares of the world. The meat and drink of public opinion is news, and in all this press and bustle some political philosophy becomes indispensable—a national philosophy, in the first place, built up of national sentiment and of national tradition; but, since nations can no longer live in isolation, a philo- sophy which shall be international is equally necessary. How are we to live with our neighbours? How, amid the entanglement of foreign relations, are we to avoid the risk of conflict? In other words, how are we to protect life and property? Only, I am convinced, by substituting order for disorder, and by building up a community out of chaos. The community of nations exists already; it is merely a question of defining and regulating it. Only one condition is necessary; it is a condition indispensable to all human communities, and it is this : a respect for undertakings once given ; a respect which is sanctioned by public opinion and informs the education of the public mind. That is the very simple philosophy of the Covenant of the League of Nations. Extract from a lecture given by the Secretary-General at the University of Cambridge on November 20th, 1936. — 7 — TABLE OF CONTENTS PART I THE COVENANT OF THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS Page TEXT OF THE COVENANT 13 PART II CONSTITUTION AND ORGANISATION I. THE STATES MEMBERS OF THE LEAGUE. 34 II. THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS : GENERAI, OUTLINE 41 III. THE ORGANS OF THE LEAGUE : A. THE ASSEMBLY 48 B. THE COUNCIL 60 C. THE PERMANENT SECRETARIAT 77 IV. AUXILIARY ORGANISATIONS 84 V. THE INTERNATIONAL LABOUR ORGANI- SATION 86 VI. THE PERMANENT COURT OP INTERNA- TIONAL JUSTICE 95 VII. THE BUDGET OF THE LEAGUE 102 PART III POLITICAL ACTIVITIES OF THE LEAGUE I. ORGANISATION OF PEACE : A. PACIFIC SETTLEMENT OP'DISPUTES 109 B. SECURITY 1J9 S.d.N.3.500 (F.). 5,000 (A.). 3/37 - Imp.OFFiCE PUBLICITE, Brux. (N° 9819) — 8 — Page C. DISARMAMENT I28 D. CONVENTIONS IN CONNECTION WITH THE SETTLEMENT OF DISPUTES AND SECURITY. 137 E. POLITICAL DISPUTES DEALT WITH BY THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS i47 II. THE MANDATES SYSTEM 180 III. PROTECTION OF MINORITIES 188 IV. THE HIGH COMMISSARIAT FOR THE FREE CITY OF DANZIG 195 V. THE GOVERNING COMMISSION OF THE SAAR TERRITORY i97 VI. THE COMMISSION OF ENQUIRY FOR EUROPEAN UNION i99 PART IV TECHNICAL WORK OF THE LEAGUE I. ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL WORK 203 II. COMMUNICATIONS AND TRANSIT 220 III. HEALTH 230 IV. INTELLECTUAL CO-OPERATION 238 V. SOCIAL AND HUMANITARIAN WORK 245 VI. CAMPAIGN AGAINST NARCOTICS 253 VII. REFUGEE RELIEF WORK 264 L. — g — Page VIII. SLAVERY .: 266 IX. TECHNICAL CO-OPERATION OE THE LEAGUE WITH THE CHINESE GOVERN- MENT 267 PART V ACTIVITIES RELATED TO THE LEAGUE I. SPECIAL INSTITUTES 273 II. INTERNATIONAL BUREAUX 278 III. THE RED CROSS 279 IV. THE INTERNATIONAL RELIEF UNION. .. 279 PART VI RELATIONS WITH THE OUTSIDE WORLD I. PUBLICITY 283 II. THE SALES DEPARTMENT: CATALOGUES. 285 III. THE PRESS 285 IV. THE INFORMATION SECTION 286 V. LIAISON WITH PRIVATE ORGANISATIONS 287 VI. THE LIBRARY 288 VII. RADIO-NATIONS 289 VIII. BUILDINGS OF THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS 292 IX. SPECIAL STAMPS 295 10 PART VII ANNEXES Page I. HISTORICAL SUMMARY 299 II. CONVENTIONS AND AGREEMENTS CON- CLUDED UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE LEAGUE 313 III. PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVES TO THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS 319 IV. INDEX 323 PLANS AND CHARTS Site of the League Buildings Frontispiece Page The States Members of the League 34 Map of Europe and of the World. Inset between 44 and 45 Organisation of the League 5°-5i States which have sat as Non-permanent Members of the Council 76 Upper Silesia (Map) 151 Gran Chaco Territory (Map) 159 Leticia Trapezium (Map) 167 Ethiopia and Neighbouring Countries (Map) 171 Territory of Alcxandretta and Antioch (Map) 178 Mandated Territories (Map) 180 States which have assumed International Obligations towards Minorities (Map) 189 Territory of the Free City of Danzig (Map) 195 New International Road Signals (Chart) 225 Singapore Bureau Wireless Stations (Map) 231 Range of Communication from Radio-Nations (Chart). 290 Plan of the New League Buildings 293 PART I THE COVENANT OF THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS r — i3 — THE COVENANT OF THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS1 THE HIGH CONTRACTING PARTIES, In order to promote international co-operation and to achieve international peace and security by the acceptance of obligations not to resort to war, by the prescription of open, just and honourable relations between nations, by the firm establishment of the understandings of inter- national law as the actual rule of conduct among Governments, and by the maintenance of justice and a scrupulous respect for all treaty obligations in the dealings of organised peoples with one another, Agree to this Covenant of the Teague of Nations. ARTICLE I. I. The original Members of the Teague of Nations shall be those of the Signatories which are named in the Annex to this Covenant and also such of those other States named in the Annex as shall accede without reservation to this 1 Text numbered in conformity with the resolution adopted by the seventh ordinary session of the Assembly on September 16th, 1926, and containing Article 6 as amended, in force since August 13th, 1924, Articles 12, 13 and 15 as amended, in force since September 26th, 1924, and Article 4 as amended, in force since July 29th, 1926. The texts printed in italics indicate the amendments. r — 14 — Covenant. Such accession shall he effected by a Declaration deposited with the Secretariat within two months of the coming into force of the Covenant. Notice thereof shall be sent to all other Members of the Deague. 2. Any fully self-governing State, Dominion or Colony not named in the Annex may become a Member of the League if its admission is agreed to by two-thirds of the Assembly, provided that it shall give effective guarantees of its sincere intention to observe its international obligations, and shall accept such regulations as may be prescribed by the League in regard to its military, naval and air forces and armaments. 3. Any Member of the League may, after two years’ notice of its intention so to do, withdraw from the League, provided that all its international obligations and all its obligations under this Covenant shall have been fulfilled at the time of its withdrawal. ARTICLE 2. The action of the League under this Covenant shall be effected through the instrumentality of an Assembly and of a Council, with a permanent Secretariat. ARTICLE 3. 1. The Assembly shall consist of Representatives of the Members of the League. 2. The Assembly shall meet at stated intervals and from time to time as occasion may require at the Seat of the League or at such other place as may be decided upon.