A.—sB.

M. Costa du Rels (Bolivia) said that oil certain occasions proposals for the organization of peace had shown themselves to be open to misunderstanding and it was essential that the technical work of the League should be conducted in a sphere in which no misunderstanding was possible. He was glad that for the first time they were to have a real and all-embracing Pan-American Conference. The report was adopted. Free City of Danzig : Salary oe the High Commissioner. This question, on the invitation of the Secretary-General, was included in the Agenda. It will be remembered that at its session in January last the Committee of Three, appointed by the Council to follow the situation in Danzig, expressed the view that it would be desirable in future for the salary of the High Commissioner to be charged to the League of Nations' budget, it being understood that the other expenses appertaining to the office would continue to be defrayed by the Danzig and Polish Governments. Accordingly, the Secretary-General, in agreement with the Supervisory Commission, included the necessary credit for this purpose in the draft budget of the League of Nations for 1938, which will be submitted to the next Assembly. In order to ensure that this measure would take eflect as from Ist July next, the Secretary-General suggested that the Council should authorize the charging of the salary to Item 2 (c) (i), " Unforeseen expenditure : Political Expenditure." The Council later adopted the following resolution : — " Decides, as from July Ist and until the end of the current financial year, to charge to item 2 (c) (i), ' Unforeseen expenditure : Political Expenditure,' the salary of the High Commissioner of the League of Nations in Danzig, amounting to 72,000 Swiss francs per annum." Permanent Mandates Commission. The representative of Roumania presented his report (C. 265, 1937, VI). The Council was called upon to appoint a successor to M. Manceron, whose death took place in April last. The Rapporteur said he felt sure he would be interpreting the feeling of the Council in paying a tribute to the services which M. Manceron had rendered to the League of Nations, and he suggested that the Secretary-General should be asked to convey the sincere sympathy of the Council to M. Manceron's family. _ As you are aware, the constitution of the Permanent Mandates Commission defines the conditions with which members must comply, i.e.— " The permanent Mandates Commission provided for in paragraph 9 of Article 22 of the Covenant shall consist of ten members. The majority of the Commission shall be nationals of non-Mandatory Powers. " All the members of the Commission shall be appointed by the Council and selected for their personal merits and competence. They shall not hold any office which puts them in a position of direct dependence on their Governments while members of the Commission." The Rapporteur recommended that Governor Augustin Giraud, of French nationality, be appointed to hold office as a member of the Permanent Mandates Commission, and this appointment was agreed to by the Council. M. Delbos (France) expressed his appreciation of the tribute paid to the services of M. Manceron. He also expressed his thanks to the Council for their selection of M. Giraud, who, he felt sure, would perform his new duties competently and conscientiously, and that the views which M. Giraud would have to express would at all times be characterized by the independent spirit which was required of him. Petition of the Zeltweg-Wolfsberg and Unter-Drauburg-Woellan-Railway Company, Vienna. The final Teport of the Permanent Legal Committee of the Communications and Transit Organization on the question relating to the above petition, was communicated to members of the Council on 27th May (Document C.C.T./C.J./40). M. Pfliigl (Austria) and M. Soubbotitch (Yugoslavia) were invited to the Council table during the consideration of this question. M. Litvinoff (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics) suggested, in view of the fact that the report had not been ready for circulation till 27th May, and as the representatives of the two Governments concerned, Austria and Yugoslavia, had expressed a desire to be given time to study the documents, that the Council should postpone discussion until the September session. This proposal was supported by the representatives of Austria and Yugoslavia. Protection of Minorities tn Roumania : Petitions from Dr. Andre Gaal concerning the Pensions of Former Officials and Pensioners of the Administration of Ciuc Private Property. The Rapporteur (the representative of Spain) reminded the Council that in 1932 it had adopted a report by the representative of Japan concerning the settlement of the disputes relating to the Private Property of Ciuc in Transylvania. Since then there had been no alteration in the principles underlying the position. The petition dealt with pensions which were payable to former officials of the Administration of the Ciuc Private Property. The Council had in 1932 recommended that the Roumanian Government should fix their pensions on the basis that these former officials should receive the same as that at present paid to a retired public official whose pension in 1923 was of the same amount as that received by the official or pensioner of the property. Similarly, all special provisions in Roumanian law in regard to retirement following on the abolition of posts would be applied to the officials of the property in 1923, The petitioners state that the question of pensions had not been finally settled.

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