FULL REVISED COVENANT OF LEAGUE OF

NATIONS WITH CHANGES FROM

ORIGINAL DRAFT INDICATED

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 honorable relations between nations, by the firm establishment of the understandings of international law as to actual rule of conduct among Governments, and by the maintenance of justice and a scrupulous respect for all treaty obligations in the dealings of organized peoples with one another, the high contracting parties agree to this covenant of the League of Nations.

[In the original preamble the last sentence read, "adopt this constitution," instead of "agree to this covenant."]

ARTICLE I

The original members of the League 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 covenant. Such accessions shall be affected 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 League.

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 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 and naval forces and armaments.

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.

[This article is new, embodying with alterations and additions the old Article VII. It provides more specifically the method of admitting new members, and adds the entirely new paragraph providing for withdrawal from the League. No mention of withdrawal was made in the original document.]

ARTICLE II

The action of the League under this covenant shall be affected through the instrumentality of an Assembly and of a Council, with a permanent Secretariat.

[Originally this was a part of Article I. It gives the name Assembly to the gathering of representatives of the members of the League, formerly referred to merely as "the body of delegates."]

ARTICLE III

The Assembly shall consist of representatives of the members of the League.

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.

The Assembly may deal at its meetings with any matter within the sphere of action of the League or affecting the peace of the world.

At meetings of the Assembly each member of the League shall have one vote, and may have not more than three representatives..

[This embodies parts of the original Articles I, II, and III, with only minor changes. It refers to "members of the League" where the term "high contracting parties" originally was used, and this change is followed throughout the revised draft.]

ARTICLE IV

The Council shall consist of representatives of the United States of America, of the British Empire, of

France, of Italy, and of Japan, together with representatives of four other members of the League. These four members of the League shall be selected by the Assembly from time to time in its discretion. Until the appointment of the representatives of the four members of the League first selected by the Assembly, representatives of (blank) shall be members of the Council.

With the approval of the majority of the Assembly, the Council may name additional members of the League whose representatives shall always be members of the Council; the Council with like approval may increase the number of members of the League to be selected by the Assembly for representation to the Council.

The Council shall meet from time to time as occasion may require, and at least once a year, at the seat of the League, or at such other place as may be decided upon.

The Council may deal at its meetings with any matter within the sphere of action of the League or affecting the peace of the world.

Any member of the League not represented on the Council shall be invited to send a representative to sit as a member at any meeting of the Council during the consideration of matters specially affecting the interests of that member of the League.

At meetings of the Council each member of the League represented on the Council shall have one vote, and may have not more than one representative.

[This embodies that part of the original Article III designating the original members of the Council. The paragraph providing for increase in the membership of the Council is new.]

ARTICLE V

Except where otherwise expressly provided in this covenant, decisions at any meeting of the Assembly

or of the Council shall require the agreement of all the members of the League represented at the meeting.

All matters of procedure at meetings of the Assembly or of the Council, the appointment of committees to investigate particular matters, shall be regulated by the Assembly or by the Council and may be decided by a majority of the members of the League represented at the meeting. The first meeting of the Assembly and the first meeting of the Council shall be summoned by the President of the United States of America.

[The first paragraph requiring unanimous agreement in both Assembly and Council, except where otherwise provided, is new. The other two paragraphs originally were included in Article IV.]

ARTICLE VI

The permanent Secretariat shall be established at the seat of the League. The Secretariat shall comprise a Secretary General and such secretaries and staff as may be required.

The first Secretary General shall be the person named in the annex; thereafter the Secretary General shall be appointed by the Council, with the approval of the majority of the Assembly.

The Secretaries and the staff of the Secretariat shall be appointed by the Secretary General, with the 'approval of the Council.

The Secretary General shall act in that capacity at all meetings of the Assembly and of the Council.

The expenses of the Secretariat shall be borne by the members of the League in accordance with the apportionment of the expenses of the International Bureau of the Universal Postal Union.

[This replaces the original Article V. In the original the appointment of the First Secretary General was left to the Council, and approval of the majority of the Assembly was not required for subsequent appointments.]

ARTICLE VII

The seat of the League is established at Geneva. The Council may at any time decide that the seat of the League shall be established elsewhere.

All positions under or in connection with the League, including the Secretariat, shall be open equally to men and women.

Representatives of the members of the League and officials of the League, when engaged on the business of the League, shall enjoy diplomatic privileges and immunities.

The buildings and other property occupied by the League or its officials, or by representatives attending its meetings, shall be inviolable.

[Embodying parts of old Article V and VI, this article names Geneva instead of leaving the seat of the League to be chosen later, and adds the provision for changing the seat in the future. The paragraph opening positions to women equally with men is new.]

ARTICLE VIII

The members of the League undertake to interchange full and frank information as to the scale of their armaments, their military and naval programs and the condition of such of their industries as are adaptable to warlike purposes.

[This covers the ground of the original Article VIII, but is rewritten to make it clearer that armament reduction plans must be adopted by the nations affected before they become effective.]

ARTICLE IX

A permanent commission shall be constituted to advise the Council on the execution of the provisions of Articles I and VII and on military and naval questions generally.

[Unchanged except for the insertion of the words "Article I."]