HISTORY IGCSE CONTENT - 20TH CENTURY OPTION - LEAGUE OF NATIONS: HOW WAS THE LON ORGANISED?

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

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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
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
former American President
Woodrow Wilson, Smuts was
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. CAMBRIDGE IGCSE – LEAGUE OF NATIONS – MR. Dhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0ldr18Rnho
The League of Nations: Wilson's League for Peace

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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.

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

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

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

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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.

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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.

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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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

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

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

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

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