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Question : History, Organs, Functions and defects of League of Nations.
Answer :
HISTORY OF LEAGUE OF NATIONS
A league to enforce Peace was established by a group of Public leaders including many outstanding
Republicans headed by Taft. The organisation Republicans held a conference in June 1915 and adopted a Four
point Programme which received wide publicity.
It called for the submission of all justifiable international disputes to arbitration, the submission of all
disputes to a council of conciliation, the application of economic and military force by all states against any State
resorting to war.
At another conference held in May 16, President Wilson declared that the united states was
Willing to become a partner in any association of nation formed to check aggression. In January 191, he
addressed the American Senate on a “World
League for peace”.
When the united states entered the war, Wilson insisted in his war message that, peace in future can
never be maintained except by world-wide
partnership. One of the 14 Points of Wilson was, an association of nations formed for the purpose of affording
mutual guarantees of political independence and territorial integrity to all states whether big or small.
On 1915 a draft was published known as "Proposals for the Avoidance of war". The “league of nations
society" was set up in 1915 and "The League of Free Nations Association” was started in 1918. Later on both the
associations were amalgamated into the "League of Nations union". In March 1918, a committee of British
Foreign Office with Phillmore as chairman prepared a draft.
On December 1918, General smuts Prepared a Plan containing the germs of the council and the
Mandate System. President Wilson prepared a second draft on 10 January 1919, and a third draft was prepared
10 days after. The third draft was submitted to Hurst and Miller for revision and the composite draft prepared by
them was used by the League of Nations commission of the peace conference on a basis of discussion.
A commission of 19 members was set up under the chairmanship of President Wilson and on 14th
February 1919, the tentative draft was prepared to the peace conference for it’s consideration. On 28 April 1919,
the revised draft was adopted unanimously and the covenant of the League of Nations was incorporated into the
Treaty of Versailles which was signed by the German Delegation on 28 June 1919.
On 10 January 1920, League of Nations officially came into existence and its headquarters were fixed at
Geneva in Switzerland.
ORGANS OF LEAGUE OF NATIONS
League of Nation :
 Assembly
 Council
 Secretariat.
o The Assembly :
The assembly was the main representative body of the League of Nations. It consisted of
delegates of all member States, which were equally represented as, every state had one vote, without
geographic , demographic on economic distinction.
Functions :
The functions of the Assembly were very broad.

 Any matter within the sphere of action of the league affecting the Peace of the world.
 Besides these general functions, the assembly had also specific competences..
 The Assembly also adopted the budget of the League.
 Admission of New member.
 Election of Non Permanent Members.
 Distribution by allocation of the Expenses of the league among the members.
 Supervising the work of the council and setting his own procedure and finding mechanism to
prevent war and bring a solution.
o The Council :
It is an executive organ. It consist of permanent members including British Empire, France,

Italy, Japan.
Although more Permanents members Can be added with majority voting.
i. 11 non Permanent members including non permanent and non eligible until expiry of 3 years
from the conclusion of their terms and conditions.
ii. Non Permanent members declared majority of 2/3 of the members of assembly voting to be
immediately re-eligible.
iii. Ad-hoc representatives.
Functions :
 Nomination of additional Permanent members of the council.

 Making plans for the reduction of armaments.
 Supervise the mandate system.
 Directly works with the secretariat
 Arranges the international conference
 Acts as an advisor on the issue that how the evil effects of the manufacturing of Arms and
Munitions and implementation of war by Private enterprise, can be
prevented.
o The Secretariat :
It consist of secretary generals and such secretaries and staffs as may be required. Sir Aeric
Drummond was the first secretary. It is located in Geneva.
Functions :
It assist all the organs of the league by providing services by Bank of clerical, research,
drafting, publication, record keeping, registration of treaties, meeting arguments, etc.
FUNCTIONS OF THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS
 A reduction on national armaments to the lowest point.

 To protect the interest of all members of the league
 To peaceful settle international disputes
 To enthrone peaceful change with respect to international change
 Maintenance of international security and peace
DEFECTS OF THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS
 Attainment of universal membership.

 Failure to stop war completely.
 Non- participation of USA
 Enforcement of decision are not centralised.
 Functions of the council and Assembly were not clearly demarketed.
 No provision for stoping the withdrawal of members from the LON.
 Lack of Mechanism to deal the act of aggression effectively.
 Discrimination between great or powerful states and small stales or nations.

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Question : History, Organs, Functions and defects of League of Nations.

HISTORY OF LEAGUE OF NATIONS

ORGANS OF LEAGUE OF NATIONS

The functions of the Assembly were very broad.

It is an executive organ. It consist of permanent members including British Empire, France,

 Nomination of additional Permanent members of the council.

FUNCTIONS OF THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS

 A reduction on national armaments to the lowest point.

DEFECTS OF THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS

 Attainment of universal membership.

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