ARTICLE 15.-The Advisory Conference upon Disarmament shall appoint a Permanent Technical Committee.

ARTICLE 16.-The Permanent Advisory Conference or its Permanent Technical Committee shall give advice on technical questions to the Permanent Court of International Justice at the request of said Court.

ARTICLE 17.-The expenses of the Permanent Advisory Conference and of its agencies shall be borne by the Signatory Powers in the proportions of their respective budgets for defense.

PART III

International Information

CHAPTER I

COMMISSION OF INQUIRY

ARTICLE 18.-By the terms of Article 8 of the Covenant of the League of Nations

"The members of the League undertake to interchange full and frank information as to the scale of their armaments, their military, naval and air programmes and the condition of such of their industries as are adaptable to warlike purposes."

In order to facilitate the carrying out of the said engagement by the Powers party thereto, the Signatories hereto agree that there shall be maintained under the direction of the Council of the League of Nations a Commission charged with the duty of making the necessary official examinations and reports.

ARTICLE 19.-The said Commission shall proceed under such regulations as the Council of the League shall from time to time approve.

ARTICLE 20.—Subject to such regulations the members of the Commission shall be entitled, when they deem it

desirable, to proceed to any point within the territory of any Signatory or to send sub-commissions or to authorize one or more of their members so to proceed on behalf of the Commission.

ARTICLE 21.-The Signatories hereto will give all necessary facilities to the said Commission in the performance of its duties.

ARTICLE 22.-All reports made to the Council of the League by the said Commission shall be communicated to the Signatory Powers.

CHAPTER II

OPINIONS OF THE COUNCIL

ARTICLE 23.-The Council of the League, taking into account the reports and opinions of the said Commission, shall at any time when requested by any Signatory hereto, consider summarily whether (a) the armaments of any Signatory to this Treaty are in excess of those fixed under its provisions; or (b) the military or other preparations of any State are of such a nature as to cause apprehension of aggression or an eventual outbreak of hostilities.

ARTICLE 24.-If the Council shall upon such request be of the opinion that there is reasonable ground for thinking that a menace of aggression has arisen, the parties to the defensive agreements hereinafter mentioned may put into immediate execution the plan of assistance which they have agreed upon.

ARTICLE 25.-If the Council shall, upon such request, not be of opinion that a menace of aggression has arisen, a public report to the effect shall be made and in such case no Signatory shall be under any obligation to put into execution any plan of assistance to which it is a party; but any Signatory, believing itself to be threatened with a menace of aggression, notwithstanding the fact that the Council of the League has

not been of such opinion, may forthwith notify the Council to that effect, and such Signatory shall thereupon have full liberty of action in military or other preparations for defense, subject, however, to the limitations as to armament which are imposed by any treaty then in force other than this Treaty and Treaties dependent thereon.

PART IV

Treaties of Mutual Assistance

ARTICLE 26.-The H.C.P. may conclude, either as between two of them or as between a larger number, agreements complementary to the present Treaty, exclusively for the purpose of their mutual defense and intended solely to facilitate the carrying out of the measures prescribed in this Treaty, determining in advance the assistance which they would give to each other in the event of any act of aggression.

Such agreements may, if the H.C.P. interested so desire, be negotiated and concluded under the auspices of the League of Nations.

ARTICLE 27.-Complementary agreements as defined in the preceding Article, shall, before being registered, be examined by the Council with a view to deciding whether they are in accordance with the principles of this Treaty and of the Covenant.

In particular, the Council shall consider if the cases of aggression contemplated in these agreements are of a nature to give rise to an obligation to give assistance on the part of the other H.C.P.

The Council may, if necessary, suggest changes in the texts of the agreements submitted to it.

When recognized, the agreements shall be registered in conformity with Article 18 of the Covenant. They shall be regarded as complementary to the present Treaty, and shall in no way limit the general obligations of the H.C.P. nor the

sanctions contemplated against an aggressor under the terms of this Treaty.

They will be open to any other H.C.P. with the consent of the Signatory States.

ARTICLE 28. In all cases of aggression, for which provision is made in the agreement constituting a defensive group, the H.C.P. which are members of such group may undertake to put into operation automatically the plan of assistance agreed upon between them; and in all other cases of aggression or menace or danger of aggression, directly aimed at them they will consult each other before taking action, and will inform the Council of the measures which they are contemplating.

PART V

Parties to the Treaty

CHAPTER I

ACCESSION

ARTICLE 29.-Any State, Member or not of the League of Nations, may adhere to this Treaty by depositing an act of adhesion with the Secretary General of the League, who shall at once inform the other Signatories thereof.

CHAPTER II

WITHDRAWAL

ARTICLE 30.-Any party to this Treaty may withdraw therefrom by depositing an act of withdrawal with the Secretary General of the League of Nations. Such withdrawal shall take effect one year after the deposit thereof and only as to the Party withdrawing.

CHAPTER III

RATIFICATION

ARTICLE 31.-The present Treaty shall be ratified and the instruments of ratification shall be deposited as soon as possible with the Secretary General of the League of Nations. It shall come into force:

In Europe when it shall have been ratified by five European States, including France, Great Britain and Italy.

In Asia when it shall have been ratified by two Asiatic States, one of which shall be Japan.

In North America when ratified by the United States of America.

In Central America and the West Indies when ratified by one State in the West Indies and two in Central America.

In South America when ratified by four States in South America, one of which shall be either Argentina, Brazil or Chile.

In Africa and Oceania when ratified by two States in Africa and Oceania.

With regard to the H.C.P. which may subsequently ratify the Treaty, it will come into force at the date of the deposit of the instrument of ratification.