(2 of 4)
Article III contains the statement: "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. There follow explicit regulations laying down the procedure for "conciliation commissions which are to referee disputes; and the proviso that the Council of the League will act as a court of last resort.
Article IV (presumably with Britain and Italy especially mind) supplements Article II in defining the circumstances in which action shall be taken against a treaty-violating power. Heavy emphasis is laid upon the principle that advisement shall first be taken if possible with the Council of the League. But in the event of a sudden "flagrant" hostile act, such as a rush by Germany or France upon the Rhineland, each guaranteeing power "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."
Article V specifically provides that the powers shall enforce the arbitration of Franco-German and Belgio-German disputes.
Articles VI and VII assert that the present treaty in no way undermines either the Treaty of Versailles or the authority of League; and "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 provides that the present treaty is to be registered with the League; and shall continue operative until the signatory powers, "voting at least by a two-thirds majority, decide that the League of Nations insures sufficient protection" to them. "The treaty shall cease to have effect on the expiration of a period of one year from such decision."
Article IX (in toto) : "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 (in toto) : "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 16th of October, 1925.
"Luther, "Stresemann, "Emile Vandervelde, "A. Briand, "Austen Chamberlain, "Benito Mussolini."
The Arbitration Treaty form is well exampled in the German-Czecho-Slovakian treaty of 22 articles. The German-Polish treaty is exactly similar, and the German-French and German-Belgian treaties differ from it by the striking out of one article only, the 21st. In the German-Czech treaty: