disarmament. Each nation adhering shall have the right to substitute another representative.

ART. XXX. No nation shall construct fortifications, or defenses, unless they be at a distance of twenty kilometers, at least, from a neighboring country. Those that exist at present in this belt may be maintained in good repair, but not augmented.

ART. XXXI.-Each nation, although not directly affected, shall have the right to treat the infraction of any of the provisions under this title of disarmament as a ground for arbitration.

ART. XXXII.—Articles

of the Convention of The Hague are superseded by the provisions of the present Convention.

Continuation

[ART. XXXIII.-In the month of January, nineteen hundred and thirty-eight, a conference shall be held at the Palace of The Hague to consider the continuation of this convention.]

Rescission

ART. XXXV.-At any time during the continuance of this Convention, should two or more nations present the claim to the Court of the Hague that as many as three other nations were demanding the right to take part in an arbitration in which they had no direct interest but for the purpose of obtaining an undue preponderance among the arbitrators, the Clerk of the Court shall forthwith call a conference to be held at the Palace of The Hague at a date not distant more than one month; and, if at said conference, States, representing a third of the population of the Globe, that of their colonies and possessions

included, according to the estimate of the Statesman's Yearbook for the previous year, shall vote to rescind this Convention, all States shall be thereby relieved from all obligations hereunder. After the expiration of five days from that set for the convening of such conference, the presentation to the presiding officer thereof, or, if the conference has not organized, or is not proceeding, the deposit in the Clerk's Office of a petition by such a group of States to rescind this Convention for such cause, shall operate its rescission without further action. Members of the Court shall be recognized as fully accredited by their respective States for this purpose, and the signature of one Member shall suffice for the State which he represents, unless there is a conflict among the Members of a given State, when the action of the majority shall be accepted as that of such State.

ANNEX II

THE DRAFT OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS

formulated by the special Commission which was authorized by the Peace Conference on January 25, reported to the full Conference on February 14, 1919, by President Wilson, and unanimously adopted by representatives of fourteen nations on the Commission.

Preamble-In order to promote internal cooperation and to secure 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 the actual rule of conduct among governments and by the maintenance of justice and scrupulous respect for all treaty obligations in the dealings of organized peoples with one another, the Powers signatory to the covenant adopt this constitution of the League of Nations:

ARTICLE I.

The action of the high contracting parties under the terms of this covenant shall be effected through the instrumentality of a meeting of a body of delegates representing the high contracting parties, of meetings at more frequcnt intervals of an executive council and of a permanent international secretariat to be established at the seat of the league.

ARTICLE II.

Meetings of the body of delegates shall be held at stated intervals and from time to time as occasion may require for the pupose of dealing with matters within the sphere of action of the league. Meetings of the body of delegates shall be held at the seat of the league or at such other places as may be found convenient, and shall consist of representatives of the high contracting parties. Each of the high contracting parties shall have one vote, but may have not more than three representatives.

ARTICLE III.

The executive council shall consist of representatives of the United States of America, the British Empire, France, Italy and Japan, together with representatives of four other States, members of the league. The selection of these four States shall be made by the body of delegates on such principles and in such manner as they think fit. Pending the appointment of these representatives of other States representatives of (blank left for names) shall be members of the executive council.

Meetings of the council shall be held from time to time as occasion may require and at least once a year, at whatever place may be decided on, or failing any such decision, at the seat of the league, and any matter within the sphere of action of the league or affecting the peace of the world may be dealt with at such meetings.

Invitations shall be sent to any Power to attend a meeting of the council at which such matters directly affecting its interests are to be discussed, and no decision taken at any meeting will be binding on such Powers unless so invited.

ARTICLE IV.

All matters of procedure at meetings of the body of delegates or the executive council, including the appointment of committees to investigate particular matters, shall be regulated by the body of delegates or the executive council, and may be decided by a majority of the States represented at the meeting.

The first meeting of the body of delegates and of. the executive council shall be summoned by the President of the United States of America.

ARTICLE V.

The permanent secretariat of the league shall be established at which shall constitute the seat of the league. The secretariat shall comprise such secretaries and staff as may be required, under the general direction and control of the secretary-general of the league, who shall be chosen by the executive council; the secretariat shall be appointed by the secretary-general subject to confirmation by the executive council.

The secretary-general shall act in that capacity at all meetings of the body of delegates or of the executive council.