The League of Nations and Multinational Treaties in the Asia Pacific Region : Conflict or Integration

The relations between the League of Nations and multinational frameworks were unsettled in the Asia Pacific region because the United States was a non-member state of the League. Because of the absence of the US from the League, relationship between the League and the “Washington System” was also ambiguous. This article argues that this ambiguity held a potential that multinational treaties collided with or were integrated into the League. The Four-Power Treaty included an article to invite a joint conference for consideration and adjustment. Japan tried to define relations between the League and this conference during the Washington Conference. However, the United States didn\u27t respond clearly to this proposal. The relationship between the League and the joint conference remained unsettled until the expiration of the treaty. For conciliating the Sino-Soviet dispute of 1929 and the Manchurian Incident, the United States, Britain and China considered the possibility of convening the Nine-Power Treaty conference and the Kellogg-Briand Pact committee. These organs could compete with the League for the jurisdiction over these disputes. Therefore Britain and the Secretariat of the League attempted to harmonize the League with the Nine-Power Treaty and the Kellogg-Pact. Consequently, the League adopted resolutions referring to these treaties and succeeded in satisfying the United States. The League was eventually combined with other multinational frameworks of the Asia Pacific. Because of this, Japan became hostile to all multinational frameworks in 1930s.論文Article