Texte : Disarmament. According to the Covenant : I. The maintenance of peace requires the reduction of national armaments to the lowest point consistent with national safety and the enforcement by common action of international obligations. II. The Council, taking account of the geographical situation and circumstances of each States, shall formulate plans for such reduction. III. Such plans shall be subject to reconsideration every ten years. IV. The limits shall not be exceeded without the concurrence of the Council. V. The Council shall advise how the evil effects attendant upon private manufacture of war material can be prevented. VI. The League is entrusted with the general supervision of the trade in arms and ammunition with countries in which the control of this traffic is necessary in the common interest. VII. The Members undertake to interchange full and frank information as to the scale of their armaments, their military, naval and air programmes, and war industries. / Work of the League. Preparation of international agreements on disarmament (arbitration and security) : 1. Convention on international trade in arms (may-june 1925) signed by 35 States. 2. Protocol prohibiting chemical and bacteriological warfare (may-june 1925) signed by 38 States. 3. Preparatory studies for a draft Convention on the private manufacture of arms. 4. Preparatory studies for general disarmament : a) Draft Treaty of Mutual Assistance, 1923. b) Protocol for the Pacific Settlement of International Disputes, 1924. c) Pacific Settlement of International Disputes. General Act, 1928. d) Work of the Preparatory Commission for a Conference on the Reduction and Limitation of Armaments. / Collection and publication of data on armaments. 1. Information as to measures for the national defence of the various States (effectives, military legislation, navy, air forces, budget, war industries, etc.). 2. Statistical Year-Book on International Trade in Arms. 3. Systematic Survey of the Arbitration Conventions and Treaties of Mutual Security deposited with the League of Nations.
Illustration : photographie en noir et blanc de la Commission préparatoire de la Conférence pour le désarmement ; portrait photographique en noir et blanc d'Erik Colban (directeur de la section de désarmement)