dertake to
respect and preserve as against external aggression the territorial
integrity and existing political independence of all States members of
the League. In case of any such aggression or in case of any threat or
danger of such aggression the Executive Council shall advise upon the
means by which the obligation shall be fulfilled.

[Sidenote: All wars the concern of the League.]

ART. XI.--Any war or threat of war, whether immediately
affecting any of the high contracting parties or not, is hereby declared
a matter of concern to the League, and the high contracting parties
reserve the right to take any action that may be deemed wise and
effectual to safeguard the peace of nations.

It is hereby also declared and agreed to be the friendly right of each
of the high contracting parties to draw the attention of the body of
delegates or of the Executive Council to any circumstance affecting
international intercourse which threatens to disturb international peace
or good understanding between nations upon which peace depends.

[Sidenote: Disputes to be submitted to arbitration.]

ART. XII.--The high contracting parties agree that should
disputes arise between them which cannot be adjusted by the ordinary
processes of diplomacy they will in no case resort to war without
previously submitting the questions and matters involved either to
arbitration or to inquiry by the Executive Council, and until three
months after the award by the arbitrators or a recommendation by the
Executive Council, and that they will not even then resort to war as
against a member of the League which complies with the award of the
arbitrators or the recommendation of the Executive Council.

In any case under this article the award of the arbitrators shall be
made within a reasonable time, and the recommendation of the Executive
Council shall be made within six months after the submission of the
dispute.

[Sidenote: The Executive Council to act if arbitration fails.]

ART. XIII.--The high contracting parties agree that whenever
any dispute or difficulty shall arise between them, which they recognize
to be suitable for submission to arbitration and which cannot be
satisfactorily settled by diplomacy, they will submit the whole matter
to arbitration. For this purpose the court of arbitration to which the
case is referred shall be the court agreed on by the parties or
stipulated in any convention existing between them. The high contracting