The League of Nations
How it all started
The first International Organisation set up to maintain world peace was The League of Nations. It was founded in 1920 as a part of the settlement that ended world war one. The Organisation proved to be ineffective in defusing the hostilities that led to world war two. After world war two the League was replaced by The United Nations.
Woodrow Wilson (U.S President) first mentioned the League of Nations on January 8 1918, as a basis for armistice Negotiations. After the Peace negotiations started, a Commission headed by Wilson continued the work. A working plan, called the covenant of the League of Nations, became section I of The Treaty of Versailles. The League of Nations became official on January 10 1920. And met in Geneva for the first time on November 15 1920, with 41 nations represented, after many more joined.
The League of Nations powers were stated in 26 articles of the covenant. Its aims were to settle international disputes, to reduce the use of weapons, to study and remove the causes of war, and to promote interest in fields of human work. The organisation consisted of the secretariat, headed by a secretary general, the council, and the assembly. The council set up the permanent court of justice, or world court, at The Hague, The Netherlands.
After World War One, the League helped stabilize finances and bring relief to the war victims. It aided in suppressing slavery and illicit narcotics trade, helped improve working conditions, established institutions for the study of disease, and found havens for political and religious refugees. It helped in solving many disputes until it’s final years.
A School Link Article. Courtesy of Tara Robidoux, LCCHS, March 17, 1999 .
