LEAGUE OF NATIONS: ORGANISATION

LEAGUE OF NATIONS: ORGANISATION.
The main organs of the League of Nations were the General Assembly, the Council and the Secretariat. The General Assembly, which met once a year, consisted of representatives of all the member states and decided on the organization's policy. The Council's main function was to settle international disputes.

1. CONTENT LEAGUE OF NATIONS HOW WAS THE LEAGUE ORGANISED? 1

2. INTRODUCTION During WW1 a number of statesmen began discussing ways to avoid another international conflict: Jan Smuts from South Africa Lloyd George from Britain Woodrow Wilson from United States Some schemes were considered: A focused organisation that would meet to sort out disputes and crises An organisation backed by an army to enforce the peace settlement A broad organisation to address a wide range of international problems as well as meet to sort out disputes and crises. The third option favoured by Smuts and Wilson formed the basis for the LON which came into existence in January 1920.

3. IMPORTANT ARTISANS OF THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS JAN SMUTS Smuts was a key negotiator at the Paris Peace Conference. Both he was in favour of reconciliation with Germany and limited reparations. Smuts advocated a powerful League of Nations, which failed to materialise. Smuts feared the rising power of Japan in the post First World War world. When Botha died in 1919, Smuts was elected prime minister, serving until a shocking defeat in 1924 at the hands of the National Party. After the death of the former American President Woodrow Wilson, Smuts was quoted as saying that: "Not Wilson, but humanity failed at Paris." DAVID LLOYD GEORGE AND WOODROW WILSON In the matter of the League, therefore, Wilson saw Lloyd George as a friend. And by supporting Wilson against Clemenceau, Lloyd George was able to get as concessions some of the things he wanted – Canada, South Africa and Australia were allowed to join the League as full members; also many German colonies, taken over by the League as ‘mandates’ were to be governed by Britain (which was as good as making them part of the British Empire). As soon as the League Covenant was agreed, however, Lloyd George appointed Balfour (a Conservative who opposed the League) to be the British representative on the Council – and Balfour saw to it that the League never interfered with British freedom of action.

4. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0ldr18Rnho The League of Nations: Wilson's League for Peace

5. THE COVENANT OF LON According to the Covenant of the LON, the primary aim was to preserve world peace , also attempted to promote international cooperation over a wide range of economic and social problems including disarmament. LON failed in tis main purpose as war broke out again in September 1939. The Covenant of the LON was the name chosen by President Wilson to describe the constitution or charter of the LON. It comprised 26 articles which laid out the structure, rules, procedures, and functions of the League.

6. First session of the Assembly of the League of Nations, Geneva, Switzerland, 1920

7. HOW WAS THE LEAGUE ORGANISED? The key organs of League were the Secretariat, Assembly, and Council.

8. SECRETARIAT - The civil service of the League. - Performed all the administrative and financial work : organising conferences, distributing agendas, monitoring budgets, publishing reports.

9. ASSEMBLY Met once a year. Every member of the League had one vote. Considered matters of general policy. Controlled the League’s budget. Admitted new members. Elected non-permanent members of the Council.

10. COUNCIL The executive body of the League. Met 4 or 5 times a year and in times of crisis. Had permanent and non-permanent members. In 1920, permanent members were Britain, France, Italy, and Japan. In 1926 Germany became a permanent member. Number of non-permanent members increased from 4 in 1920 to 11 in 1936.

11. ASSOCIATED INDEPENDENT ORGANISATIONS 2 largely independent organisations closely associated with the LON were the Permanent Court of International Justice and the International Labour Organisation.

12. PERMANENT COURT OF INTERNATIONAL JUSTICE Based in the Hague. Offered an arbitration service to countries in dispute. Provided legal advice to the Council . Staffed by 11 judges and 4 deputy judges elected for 9 years by the Council and Assembly.

13. INTERNATIONAL LABOUR ORGANISATION Based in Geneva. Included representatives of government, employers and workers among its various committees. Central purpose was to promote good working practices with regard to issues such as working hours, women’s right, child labour, employer’s liability.

14. AGENCIES, COMMITTEES, AND COMMISSIONS During the early years, LON established a number of agencies, committees, and commissions to deal with matters arising from the peace settlement and to address various social and economic problems .

15. MANDATES COMMISSION Supervised the administration of Germany’s and Turkey’s former colonies by the victorious countries, especially Britain and France.

16. DANZIG COMMISSION Exercised direct League control over the former German city.

17. MINORITIES COMMISSION Attempted to bring about a general improvement in the way that some racial minorities were ill-treated .

18. INTELECTUAL COOPERATION ORGANISATION Promoted cultural exchange and intellectual contact between academics, artists and writers.

19. SPECIAL COMMITTEE FOR DRUG TRAFFIC Campaigned to reduce drug misuse and drug smuggling .