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GENEVA. December 1st 19°3

My dear Wilson H arr is ,

Very many thanks for your note of

November 29th, with enclosure concerning

the Memel question. I have s e n t a copy

to Fan toux and am sure he w il l toe very

in te r e s te d .

Yours ve ry s in ce re ly ,

H. " i l son Harris E s q . , League of Nations union,

ho Grosvenor Crescent, London, S . r . 1.

3 2 4 2 5 h & i f l

LEAGUE OF NATIONS UNIONHonorary Presidents:

Rt. H on. Stanley Baldwin M.P.Rt. H on . H. H. Asquith, K.C , M.P. Rt. H on Earl of Balfour, K.G., O .M . Rt. H on . J. R. Clynes, M.P.Rt H o n .D . Lloyd George, O.M.,M.P.

In reply please quote:

15, Grosvenor Crescent,I . o n d o n S i. Rt* Hon- Lord Robert Cecil, K .C ., M.P.

* * Chairman of Executive Committee :Professor Gilbert Murray, L L .D ., D.Litt.

* ' ***- Telephone : General Secretary :Telegram s •Freenai, Knights, L ondon.”

f w % : \ Victoria 9 7 8 0 . J. C. Maxwell Garnett, C.B.E., S c .D

to 'whom all communications should b addressed,

2 9 t h November, 1 9 £ 3 .

E r i c C o l b a n , Esq . , l e a g u e o f N a t i o n s , Ge n e v a .

»TJ .

Dear C 'o l ban ,

I t o l d y o u ab o a t ou r d i s c u s s i o n s on t h e Me me 1

q u e s t i o n . The e n c l o s e d memorandum i s t h e r e s u l t . I

d o n ' t know w h e t h e r y o u w i l l f ind, i t o f any i n t e r e s t ,

ouch a s i t i s , t h e r e i s n o t h i n g c o n f i d e n t i a l a b o u t i t ,

as a l l members o f t h e Commi t t ee a g r e e d t h a t any u s e

c o u l d be made o f i t by a n y o n e . I e n c l o s e an e x t r a

copy w h i c h p e r h a p s y o u would n o t m i n d h a n d i n g ori t o

Man t o u x . I f by any c h a n c e you s h o u l d w a n t m o r e , o f c o u r s e

t hey w i l l be a v a i l a b l e .

Yours ve ry s i n c e r e l y ,

m/m.

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G . G . 7 0 5 27 . 1 1 .23 .THE QUESTION OF MM EL.

¥hen t h e C o n f e r e n c e o f r j n b a s s a d o r s r e f e r r e d , t h e Mem s i q u e s t i o n

'O t h e League o f N a t i o n s u n d e r a r t i c l e 11, a n i n f o r m a l c o n f e r e n c e

o f t h e members o f t h e P o l i s h , L i t h u a n i a n a n d German S u b - C o m m i t t e e s

o f the - League o f N a t i o n s Un ion wa s convened i n t h e hope t h a t a

d i s c u s s i o n o f t h e p r o b l e m f rom t h e a n g l e s r e p r e s e n t e d by t h e s e

d i f f e r e n t S u b - C o m m i t t e e s m i g h t r e s u l t i n some p r a c t i c a l s u g g e s t i o n s

w h i c h would be o f v a l u e to m e m b e r s o f t h e C o u n c i l a nd o t h e r s who

w i l l have t o d e a l w i t h t h e m a t t e r a t G e n e v a . I t was c l e a r l y u n d e r ­

s t o o d from t h e f i r s t t h a t m e m b e r s o f t h e J o i n t Commit t ee s p o k e p u r e l y

a s i n d i v i d u a l s a n d r e p r e s e n t e d n o on e b u t t h e m s e l v e s .

The f i r s t m e e t i n g was d e v o t e d t o a g e n e r a l d i s c u s s i o n , i n

t h e ’-ours e o f w h i oh t h e L i t h u a n i a n members , w h i l e e x p r e s s i n g

c o m p l e t e w i l l i n g n e s s t o g r a n t g e n e r a l t r a n s i t r i g h t s i n t h e t e r r i ­

t o r y a nd p o r t o f M em e l , ma le t h e r e s e r v a t i o n t h a t s u c h r i g h t s c o u l d

o n l y be e n j o y e d , a s t h e :B a r c e l o n a C o n v e n t i o n s a s s u m e d , b y S t a t e s in

v . s t a t e o f p e a c e w i t h L i t h u a n i a , a c o n d i t i o n w h i c h would a t p r e s e n t

e x c l u d e Po la n d f r o m t h e e n j o y m e n t o f s uc h r i g h t s . They f u r t h e r

p r e s s e d t h e p o i n t t h a t w i t h ' r e g a r d t o P o l a n d ' s s p e c i a l c l a i m s t o

r i g h t o f t r a n s i t o n t h e N i e m e n , t h o s e r i g h t s w e r e b a s e d s o l e l y o r

a l m o s t s o l e l y " o n t h e f a c t t h a t P o l a n d was- now i n what t h e L i t h u a n i a n s

r e g a r d e d as u n l a w f u l p o s s e s s i o n o f t h e V i l n a d i s t r i c t - t h r o u g h .w.hica

t h e Piemen f l o w s . They c o n t e n d e d , t h e r e f o r e , t h a t by r e c o g n i s i n g

s u c h r i g i r o s , t h e y w o u l d , i p s o f a c t o , be r e c o g n i s i n g t h e l e g i t i m a c y

o f t h e P o l i s h t e n u r e o f t h i s a r e a .

Ls a r e s u l t - o f f u r t h e r d i s c u s s i o n , h o w e v e r , t he L i t h u a n i a n

m e m b e r s , w i t h o u t a b a n d o n i n g t h e i r p o i n t o f v i e w , a g r e e d t o w a i v e

i t j n o r d e r t o a l l o w t h e work o f t h e Committ e e t o c o n t i n u e •

Unanimous a g r e e m e n t was t h e n r e a c h e d o n two p r i n c i p l e s •

( a ) t h a t t h e s o v e r e i g n t y o v e r t h e Memel t e r r i t o r y s h o u l d b e L i t h u a n i a n ;

(b) t h a t f u l l r i g h t s o f t r a n s i t a s s p e c i f i e d i n t h e B a r c e l o n a Re c o m m e n d a t i o n s on R i v e r s and P o r t s s h o u l d be g r a n t e d t o a l l S t a t e s i n t e r e s t e d .

T he s ec on d m e e t i n g was d e v o t e d to a d e t a i l e d d i s c u s s i o n o f

t h e B a r c e l o n a R e c o m m e n d a t i o n s r e g a r d i n g P o r t s a s a p p l i c a b l e t o t h e

s p e c i a l c a s e o f Mem e l , i t b e i n g g e n e r a l l y a s s u m e d t h a t t h e q u e s t i o n

o f r i v e r t r a n s p o r t wa s s u f f i c i e n t l y c o v e r e d by a r t i c l e s 3 4 2 - 5 o f

t h e T r e a t y o f V e r s a i l l e s .

The f i f t e e n R e c o m m e n d a t i o n s r e l a t i v e t o P o r t s were d e a l t

w i t h s e r i a t i m , g e n e r a l a g r e e m e n t b e i n g r e a c h e d r e g a r d i n g a r t i c l e s

1 , 7 , 9 , 1 0 , 1 1 , 1 2 , 1 4 a n d 1 5 .

, . t t h i s p o i n t c e r t a i n p r o v i s i o n s o f t h e i j n b a s s a d o r s Con ­

f e r e n c e a n d o f t h e L i t h u a n i a n a l t e r n a t i v e D r a f t p r e s e n t e d a t P a r i s

were i n t r o d u c e d i n t o t h e d i s c u s s i o n *

T h e r e was g e n e r a l a g r e e m e n t t h a t a P o r t O f f i c e s h o u l d b e

e s t a b l i s h e d as p r o v i d e d by a r t i c l e 41 o f t h e A m b a s s a d o r s ' D r a f t

C o n v e n t i o n , b u t i t w a s p o i n t e d o u t t h a t t h e C o n v e n t i o n g i v e s no

a d e q u a t e i n d i c a t i o n a s t o t h e n a t u r e a n d c o n s t i t u t i o n o f t h e O f f i c e ,

ii l e n g t h y d i s c u s s i o n on t h e q u e s t i o n o f w h e t h e r t h e F o r t o f f i c e

s h o u l d b e d i r e c t l y s u b j e c t t o t h e a u t h o r i t i e s o f Memel t e r r i t o r y an

t h e ^- .mbassadors s u g g e s t o r to t h e L i t h u a n i a n G o v e r n m e n t , an t h e

L i t h u a n i a n D r a f t i n s i s t e d , r e s u l t e d i n no d e f i n i t e a g r e e m e n t a m o n g

me mbe rs o f t h e C o m m i t t e e .

The f o l l o w i n g f o r m u l a , h o w e v e r , was u n a n i m o u s l y a c c e p t e d a s

summing u p t he d r i f t o f t h e d i s eu s o i o n -

" I t was f e l t b y a m a j o r i t y o f t h e Commi t t ee t h a t t h e o b j e c t i o n o f t h e L i t h u a n i a n s t o p u t t i n g t h e P o r t O f f i c e u n d e r t h e a u t h o r i t i e s o f t h e Memel t e r r i t o r y ( a s p r o v i d e d i n A ' P t i c l e 41 o f t h e . a m b a s s a d o r s 1 D r a f t ) c o u l d be l a r g e l y

m e t i f t h e a u t h o r i t i e s i n q u e s t i o n a r e u n d e r s t o o d t o me an a D i r e c t o r i u m a s c o n s t i t u t e d b y a r t i c l e 20 o f t h e a m b a s s a d o r s D r a f t , w h i c h w a s a c c e p t e d a s i t s t o o d by t h e L i t h u a n i a n r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s a t P a r i s . "

The . j n b a s s a d o r s ' D r a f t f u r t h e r p r o v i d e d t h a t t h e r e s h o u l d

be e s t a b l i s h e d i n o r u n d e r t h e P o r t O f f i c e an E c o n o m i c a d v i s o r y

C o m m i t t e e t o g iv e i t s o p i n i o n on a l l q u e s t i o n s c o n c e r n i n g t h e

>

a d m i n i g t r a t i o n , u p k e e p e t c . o f t h e P o r t , i n c l u d i n g t h e f r e e z o n e s .

T h e . j n b a s s a d o r s p r o p o s e d a C o m m i t t e e o f t h r e e : o n e r e p r e s e n t i n g

e m e l , one L i t h u a n i a , a nd one P o l a n d , w h i l e t h e L i t h u a n i a n s a d v o ­

c a t e d a body o f f i v e : one r e p r e s e n t i n g L i t h u a n i a , one P o l a n d ,

t o g e t h e r w i t h t h r e e r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s o f t h e Mem e l Chamber o f Commerce,

t n e G i t y o f Memel a n d t h e P o r t o f Mem e l r e s p e c t i v e l y .

I h e L ea gu e o f N a t i o n s U n i o n Commit t ee f a i l e d t o r e a c h a g r e e ­

m e n t a s b e t we en t h e s e two d r a f t s , b u t i t was a d m i t t e d by b o t h s i d e s

t h a t t h i s s h o u l d n o t be r e g a r d e d a s a q u e s t i o n o f v i t a l i m p o r t a n c e .

I t i s t o be n o t e d t h a t n e i t h e r t h e L i t h u a n i a n n o r t h e P o l i s h

m e m b e r s o f t h e -Commi t t ee f a v o u r e d a p r o p o s a l t h a t t h e r e s h o u l d be

a L ea gu e o f N a t i o n s r e p r e s e n t a t i v e a t Memel , e i t h e r a s C h a i r m a n o f

t h i s Commit tee o r i n some o t h e r c a p a c i t y .

The q u e s t i o n o f f r e e z o n e s i n t h e P o r t o f Memel was t h e n

a - S c u s s e d , w i t h s p a c i a l r e f e r e n c e t o t h e P o l i s h demand t h a t t h e r e

s h o u l d be p r o v i s i o n t o l e g a l i s e some forms o f m a n u f a c t u r e : e . g . i n

p a r t i c u l a r , t i m b e r - s a w i n g , w i t h i n a P o l i s h f r e e z o ne i n t h e P o r t ,

/ h i i e t h e P o l i s h m e m b e r s i n s i s t e d t h a t P o l a n d ' s i n t e r e s t s r e q u i r e d

a s p e c i a l zone o f t h i s k i n d a n a l o g o u s t o t h a t now g r a n t e d b y a g r e e ­

m e n t t o J u g o - S l a v i a a t S a l o n i k a , t h e L i t h u a n i a n s r e j o i n e d t h a t t h e y

d i d a l l t h a b c o u l d be e x p e c t e d o f them i n r e c o g n i s i n g t h e p r i n c i p l e

o f f r e e z ones a n d t h a t t h e r e s h o u l d be no s p e c i a l d i s c r i m i n a t i o n

i n f a v o u r o f P o l a n d . I n t h i s c o n n e c t i o n t h e o r i g i n a l o b j e c t i o n as

t o t h e b a s i s o f t h e P o l i s h c l a i m s , i . e . t h e t e n u r e o f t h e V i l n a

t e r r i t o r y , was a g a i n r a i s e d .

I t was f i n a l l y a g r e e d u n a n i m o u s l y t h a t r e c o r d s h o u l d be made

o f t h e f a c t t h a t a d i s c u s s i o n h a d a r i s e n on t h i s p o i n t , t h a t a l l

p a r t i e s r e c o g n i s e d t h a t u n d e r a n y s a t i s f a c t o r y a r r a n g e m e n t o f t h e

Meme l q u e s t i o n some u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f t h e n a t u r e o f a c o m m e r c i a l

t r e a t y mus t be r e a c h e d , and t h a t t h i s would n o d o u b t e m br ac e t h e

q u e s t i o n o f t h e z o n e s .

T h i s c o n c l u d e d t h e d e t a i l e d d i s c u s s i o n o f t h e F o r t p r o v i s i o n s ,

and i t i s t o be n o t e d t h a t t h e German members d i d n o t r e g a r d t h e

d r a f t i n g o f a s p e c i a l s t a t u t e f o r Germans i n Kernel t e r r i t o r y , o v e r

and a b o v e t h e g e n e r a l M i n o r i t y p r o v i s i o n s which L i t h u a n i a a c c e p t e d

on e n t e r i n g t h e League a s b e i n g a b s o l u t e l y n e c e s s a r y .

R e g a r d i n g t h e q u e s t i o n as a w h o l e , a n d w i t h p a r t i c u l a r r e f e r e n c e

t o t h e o b j e c t i o n s made b y t h e L i t h u a n i a n members t o t h e b a s i s o f t h e

P o l i s h c l a i m s , i t was u n a n i m o u s l y a g r e e d t h a t t h e w h o l e d i s c u s s i o n

o f the . C o m m i t t e e s h o u l d b e r e g a r d e d a s s u b j e c t to a P r e a m b l e f r a m e d

as f o 1 low 3 : -

" i t i s r e g a r d e d as a x i o m a t i c t h a t b e f o r e a n y p a ô t i ô a ï a g r e e m e n t a s t o t h e a d m i n i s t r a t i o n o f Mem e l t e r r i t o r y c a n be a r r i v e d a t , f r i e n d l y r e l a t i o n s b e t w e e n Po land a n d L i t h u a n i a s h o u l d be e s t a b l i s h e d

I t w a s f u r t h e r a g r e e d , i n v i ew o f t h e p o s s i b i l i t y t h a t one

n a t i o n ( i n t h i s c a s e , L i t h u a n i a ) m i g h t d e c l a r e t h e p r o v i s i o n s o f t h e

B a r c e l o n a o r some o t h e r C o n v e n t i o n s a b r o g a t e d , on t h e g r o u n d t h a t a

s t a t e o f w a r e x i s t e d b e t w e e n i t s e l f a n d some o t h e r n a t i o n c l a i m i n g

r i g h t s u n d e r t h e C o n v e n t i o n t h a t t h e w h o l e q u e s t i o n o f t h e d e c l a r a t i o n

o f a s t a t e o f w a r s h o u l d b e c o n s i d e r e d b y t h e L e a g u e , o r u l t i m a t e l y

by t h e P e r m a n e n t Court o f I n t e r n a t i o n a l J u s t i c e , i n i t s w i d e s t a s p e c t s .

I t was n o t e d t h a t t h e L e a g u e * s ' S ? ? c i a l Commiss ion o f J u r i s t s i s

c h a r g e d w i t h d i s c u s s i n g ( i n c o n n e c t i o n w i t h t h e C o r f u e p i s o d e )

q u e s t i o n s a n a l o g o u s t o t h i s .

POLITICAL.