71. It had been originally suggested that the provisions of {247} the
Protocol should be embodied in the form of resolutions to be submitted
for adoption by the Assembly. In view, however, of the fact that
adoption of such resolutions by the Assembly might be held to commit
the Governments there represented to the acceptance of its provisions,
and in view of the difficulty which Delegations found in consulting
their Governments, this proposal was found to be impracticable. It was
thereupon decided that the Protocol should be drawn up as a separate
instrument, and that its acceptance should be recommended by the
Assembly to all States Members of the League.
72. The draft of a resolution on these lines, which had been drawn up
by the British representative, was discussed by the First Committee on
the 27th September. Paragraph 1 recommends the acceptance of the
Protocol. Paragraph 2 provides that the Protocol shall be open
immediately for signature for those representatives who were already in
a position to sign. This was added in view of the fact that the French
and several other Delegations had announced their intention to sign the
Protocol before leaving Geneva. Paragraph 3 was inserted because it
was felt that the drafting of amendments to the Covenant was too
technical a matter to be done hastily.
73. The remaining paragraphs of the resolution relate to the proposed
Disarmament Conference which was dealt with by the Third Committee.
The resolution was unanimously adopted by the Assembly on the 2nd
October.
_Resolution No. 2._
74. This resolution recommends the acceptance of the obligatory
jurisdiction of the Permanent Court of International Justice at The
Hague by all Members of the League. The discussions regarding the
special Protocol opened for signature in virtue of article 36,
paragraph 2, of the Statute of the Permanent Court, had revealed that
the power to make reservations was wider than had been at first
thought. It was therefore decided that no new Protocol was required,
but that the power to make {248} reservations should be clearly
recognised in the resolution of the Assembly.
_M. Politis's Report._
75. M. Politis's draft report on the work of the First Committee was
presented to the Committee on the 28th September, and the discussion
upon it lasted all day. This draft, which was very ably drawn up, gave
a remarkably clear and adequate account of the achievement of the First
Committee.
76. Some criticism was made by the representative of Hungary and others
of a tendency in the report to give peace a secondary position to that
of justice in the predominating idea of arbitration. As a result, the
offending passages were redrafted.