SIGNS OF A REAL PEACE TREATY AT LOCARNO

Official Text on the Treaty.

EUROPE went to Locarno, Switzerland, in August of 1925 to declare peace, and on October 16 representatives of Germany, Belgium, France, Great Britain and Italy initialed the accompanying treaty of mutual guarantee, which was formally signed in London, December 1, 1925. Originally written in French, this is the translation issued by the British Foreign Office.

In permanent effect, the most important feature of the treaty is the British and Italian guarantee of France against foreign aggression. Diplomatically, the treaty may be regarded as a British victory, in that in a three-cornered arrangement between Great Britain, France and Germany to keep the peace of Europe, the former would have the deciding voice.

Not being a member of the League of Nations at the time of the Locarno Conference, the United States had no voice in it, and is not mentioned in the treaty.

THE President of the German Reich, his Majesty the King of the Belgians, the President of the Republic of France, his Majesty the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and of the British Dominions beyond the seas, Emperor of India; his Majesty the King of Italy; anxious to satisfy the desire for security and protection which animates the peoples upon whom fell the scourge of the war of 1914-1918; taking note of the abrogation of the treaties for the neutralization of Belgium, and conscious of the necessity of insuring peace in the area which has so frequently been the scene of European conflicts; animated also with the sincere desire of giving to all the signatory powers concerned supplementary guarantees within the framework of the Covenant of the League of Nations and the treaties in force between them; have determined to conclude a treaty with these objects and have appointed as their Plenipotentiaries [the Plenipotentiaries with their titles are named here], who, having communicated their full powers, found in good and due form, have agreed as follows:

ARTICLE I The high contracting parties collectively and severally guarantee, in the manner provided in the following articles, the maintenance of the territorial status quo resulting from the frontiers between Germany and Belgium and between Germany and France and the inviolability of the said frontiers as fixed by or in pursuance of the treaty of peace signed at Versailles on June 28, 1919, and also the observance of the stipulations of Articles 42 or 43 of the said treaty concerning the demilitarized zone.

ARTICLE II Germany and Belgium, and also Germany and France, mutually undertake that they will in no case attack or invade each other or resort to war against each other. This stipulation shall not, however, apply in the case of : (1) The exercise of the right of legitimate defense; that is to say, resistance to a violation of the undertaking contained in the previous paragraph or to a flagrant breach of Articles 42 or 43 of the said Treaty of Versailles, if such breach constitutes an unprovoked act of aggression and by reason of the assembly of armed forces in the demilitarized zone immediate action is necessary. (2) Action in pursuance of Article XVI of the Covenant of the. League of Nations. (3) Action as the result of a decision taken by the Assembly or by the Council of the League of Nations or in pursuance of Article XV, Paragraph 7, of the Covenant of the League of Nations, provided that in this last event the action is directed against a State which was the first to attack.

ARTICLE III In view of the undertakings entered into in Article II of the present treaty, Germany and Belgium and Germany and France undertake to settle by peaceful means and in the manner laid down herein all questions of every kind which may arise between them and which it may not be possible to settle by the normal methods of diplomacy: any question with regard to which the parties are in conflict as to their respective rights shall be submitted to judicial decision, and the parties undertake to comply with such decision. All other questions shall be submitted to a conciliation commission. If the proposals of this commission are not accepted by the two parties, the question shall be brought before the Council of the League of Nations, which will deal with it in accordance with Article XV of the Covenant of the League. The detailed arrangements for effecting such peaceful settlements are the subject of special agreements signed this day.

ARTICLE IV (1) If one of the high contracting parties alleges that a violation of Article 11 of the present treaty or a breach of Articles 42 or 43 of the Treaty of Versailles has been or is being committed it shall bring the question at once before the Council of the League of Nations. (2) As soon as the Council of the League of Nations is satisfied that such violation or breach has been committed, it will notify its finding without delay to the powers signatory of the present treaty, who severally agree that in such case they will each of them come immediately to the assistance of the power against whom the act complained of is directed. (3) In case of a flagrant violation of Article II of the present treaty or of a flagrant breach of Articles 42 or 43 of the Treaty of Versailles by one of the high contracting parties, each of the other contracting parties hereby undertakes immediately to come to the help of the party against whom such a violation or breach has been directed as soon as the said power has been able to satisfy itself that this violation constitutes an unprovoked act of aggression and that by reason either of the crossing of the frontier or of the outbreak of hostilities or of the assembly of armed forces in the demilitarized zone immediate action is necessary. Nevertheless the Council of the League of Nations which will be seized of the question in accordance with the first paragraph of this article will issue its findings, and the high contracting parties undertake to act in accordance with the recommendations of the Council provided that they are concurred in by all the members other than the representatives of the parties which have engaged in hostilities.

ARTICLE V The provisions of Article III of the present treaty are placed under the guarantee of the high contracting parties as provided by the following stipulations : If one of the powers referred to in Article III refuses to submit a dispute to peaceful settlement or to comply with an arbitral or judicial decision and commits a violation of Article II of the present treaty or a breach of Articles 42 or 43 of the Treaty of Versailles the provisions of Article IV shall apply. Where one of the powers referred to in Article III without committing a violation of Article II of the present treaty or a breach of Articles 42 or 43 of the Treaty of Versailles, refuses to submit a dispute to peaceful settlement or to comply with an arbitral or judicial decision, the other party shall bring the matter before the Council of the League of Nations, and the Council shall propose what steps shall be taken; the high contracting parties shall comply with these proposals.

ARTICLE VI The provisions of the present treaty do not affect the rights and obligations of the high contracting parties under the Treaty of Versailles or under arrangements supplementary thereto including the agreements signed in London on August 30, 1924.

ARTICLE VII The present treaty, which is designed to ensure the maintenance of peace and is in conformity with the Covenant of the League of Nations, shall not be interpreted as restricting the duty of the League to take whatever action may be deemed wise and effectual to safeguard the peace of the world.

ARTICLE VIII The present treaty shall be registered at the League of Nations in accordance with the Covenant of the League. It shall remain in force until the Council, acting on a request of one or other of the high contracting parties notified to the other signatory powers three months in advance, and voting at least by a two-thirds majority, decides that the League of Nations ensures sufficient protection to the high contracting parties. The treaty shall cease to have effect on the expiration of a period of one year from such decision.

ARTICLE IX The present treaty shall impose no obligation upon any of the British Dominions, or upon India, unless the Government of such Dominion, or of India, signifies its acceptance thereof.

ARTICLE X The present treaty shall be ratified and the ratifications shall be deposited at Geneva in the archives of the League of Nations as soon as possible. It shall enter into force as soon as all the ratifications have been deposited and Germany has become a member of the League of Nations.

The present treaty, done in a single copy, will be deposited in the archives of the League of Nations, and the Secretary General will be requested to transmit certified copies to each of the high contracting parties.

In faith whereof the above-mentioned Plenipotentiaries have signed the present treaty.

Done at Locarno, the sixteenth of October, 1925.

LUTHER.

STRESEMANN.

EMILE VANDERVELDE.

A. BRIAND.

AUSTEN CHAMBERLAIN.

BENITO MUSSOLINI.