ملف ١٩٢٦/٨٧ الجزء ٤‏ "الجزيرة العربية: ابن سعود: مفاوضات المعاهدة: موقف الحكومة البريطانية في ما يتعلق بحقها في إعتاق العبيد" [ظ‎‎٥‎١‎٣] (١٣٤/١٢٤)

App. IV., Annex I.— con/.]
8G
procedure of the Committee, the lines upon which it has proceeded, and whether its activitif^ sh^w
?h n J m 0 , 8UCCe " 0r the near fntnre. I do not intend to submtt a motion on
codiflcation * “s
the next observation I desire to make arises not only from the report itself but from the
exceedingly interesting opening address made by M. Benes in his capacity as Acting President of
the Assembly. Aon will remember that he then called attention to the importance of^he ratification
aLptc:sof°ire n r. n g Crorb%TLtgCe“ ded ° r by Confe — the
May 1 quote three sentences from his speech ? He said :
tw 1 * ^ ? onn ^ cclon ’ 1 s hoil J^ like to draw the attention of all the delegations to the fact
io t'he decisions Sen aCaCCCva 3 ™ retnraed 40 ^ 0Wn C0UQtries - t0 that eft -‘ - given
Then a little later on he adds :—
. “J * hT 1 ,lk 1 am b°und to say that, from the point of view of the Conventions drafted by the
^ehmcal committees by the Economic, Transit. Health and Opium Committees and by our
Disarmament Committees the situation is not very satisfactory. Indeed, the further progress
of our technical work would be a matter of some difficulty if this situation did not improve.”
This is a matter which was brought to the attention of the British Government by certain
important commercial interests. They pointed out that it was discouraging to those all over the
world who were interested in commerce and industry if admirable Conventions were drawn up
y oi under the auspices of the League, and then months and even years elapsed before those
ConvenLons were brought into effect. The result was, as they pointed out a gradual diminution
m 1 I 6 in ® ,1icien ^y °f the League, and also the creation in the commercial and industrial
It 0 w* s° from !w ei i amty lS / L er h a ps, the chief enemy of industrial and commercial prosperity
It was from that document that I obtained figures stating that, as regards ei^ht Convention
dealing with these commercial subjects, there had been 55 signatures and only 23 ratifications •
the result was, of course, that the Conventions had not come into force
A more elaborate examination of the subject has revealed facts like the following • that to the
Convention on International Waterways, which was concluded no less than 5 ^ years ago, there were
signatures and only ]! ratifications, and as regards the Protocol for the Mutual Recognition of
Arbitration Clauses in Commercial Contracts—one of the most useful, and, as I venture* to think
;.“P? rt ? nt cor ? merc . lal achievements of the League—there were 27 signal,ures and only 12
latificdtions. I venture very respectfully to state to my colleagues that we should do w^l to
devote some of our energy to finishing what we have so well begun, even before and in preference
to undertaking new’ responsibilities and work. prererence
These remarks do not apply only to the commercial sphere. The Convention on the Traffic in
Arms has not been ratifiea by a single one of the Powers which signed that Convention • 31 have
signed it, and 3o lowers have signed the Protocol dealing with the employment of gas in w-rfare
■wh.ch is attached to that Convention. As regards the Opium Convention “n wMch I take some
personal interest, because I happened to be one of the representatives of my Government at the
Conference which drew it up, though there have been 34 signatures there have been so far only
Empire "' 11 ” 10113 ’ "’ hlch—I may P erha l )8 be pardoned for remarking—all come from the British
it for'consideratfcn'by IXTmUtee^- 6 8h ° Uld ^ ^ f ° ll0Win8 K-»> a «on-or at any rate send
The Assembly :
Observing with regret that many Conventions and agreements concluded under the auspices
of the League of ba ions have remained ineffective or have only come into force after undne
the, 3 signatories ; dlfflCUlt> ' e ^ rienced iu securing a sufficient number of rndfications by
Desires to call the attention of the Governments of all States Members of the League to
the necessity lor taking all measures in their power to facilitate and expedite the ratification
in all cases of Conventions and agreements signed in their name • P n ation
And decides to invite the Council of the League to examiM the possibility of appointimr
a Committee to consider whether any general understanding could be promoted that would
agreements^’ a, ' d d P ° 68ible Simult ™ acti »“ by -Wies of s^h ConventionTand
a JpfcTLome 1 ^ ‘ 0 ^ 3 ^ to Assembly, and which is
On more than one occasion recently questions have been raised concerning what is and what is
and nl aCtIV ‘" eS tl ?». L8a - e « e of ^'“'ions. This is an exceedingly difficult lubfect
and one, I think of very great practical importance. If you turn to the Covenant you wtll see that
the object of the League of Nations is to promote international co-operation and to Sr eve
international peace and security and the Assembly and the Council are told that they can deal wJh
any matter within the sphere of acuon of the League affecting the peace of the world I tlTink
everyone will agree that those indications of the sphere of action of the League are necessar.lv
and properly, as I think, rather vague in their terms. are necessanij
Different opinions may well be held as to what are proper subjects for international no o
borne subjects, of course, are quite clear. The questiorfof armaments is obviously ^nternaSaT and
one which affects the peace of the world. For many years-for a hundred years or more-the slave
trade has been regarded by everyone as an international matter, and, as a consequent tdaverv also
since it will never be possible to put an end to the slave trade unless an emlis pit to sLerv’
Labour conditions, I agree, do not constitute a matler with which this Assembly dea^s d rectly f, i