<P> The US failed to ratify the Treaty of Versailles which included the Covenant of the League of Nations so the US never joined the League . The US government subsequently entered into individual treaties to secure legal rights for its citizens, to protect property rights and businesses interests in the mandates, and to preclude the mandatory administration from altering the terms of the mandates without prior US approval . </P> <P> The Official Journal of the League of Nations, dated June 1922, contained a statement by Lord Balfour (UK) in which he explained that the League's authority was strictly limited . The article related that the' Mandates were not the creation of the League, and they could not in substance be altered by the League . The League's duties were confined to seeing that the specific and detailed terms of the mandates were in accordance with the decisions taken by the Allied and Associated Powers, and that in carrying out these mandates the Mandatory Powers should be under the supervision--not under the control--of the League .' </P> <P> The League of Nations decided the exact level of control by the Mandatory power over each mandate on an individual basis . However, in every case the Mandatory power was forbidden to construct fortifications or raise an army within the territory of the mandate, and was required to present an annual report on the territory to the League of Nations . </P> <P> The mandates were divided into three distinct groups based upon the level of development each population had achieved at that time . </P>

Mandates commission of the league of nations in the 1920’s