Published online by Cambridge University Press: 04 May 2017
The inauguration of the League of Nations took place at Paris in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on January 16, 1920. Representatives of the eight members of the Council, exclusive of the United States, namely, Belgium, Brazil, the British Empire, France,Greece, Italy, Japan and Spain, formally met, elected M. Leon Bourgeois, of France, the first chairman of the Council, and proceeded to organize the machinery for the practical execution of the clauses of the Treaty of Peace, the urgent necessity of which, the chairman explained, made it impossible further to postpone the meeting of the Council.
1 The information given in this note is taken from the Official Journal of the League of Nations, Nos. 1–4, covering the months of February to May, 1920.
2 The memorandum referred to prescribes the duties of the High Commissioner as follows:
(1) To come to an agreement with the duly appointed representatives of the Free City with regard to its constitution. For this purpose he must be satisfied that the representatives of the city are in fact “duly appointed.” The Treaty of Peace does not regulate the appointment of such representatives. It will be the duty of the High Commissioner to make proposals on this subject as soon as possible to the Council of the League of Nations. He must clearly arrange that the representation of the inhabitants of the Free City, for the important work of drawing up the constitution, shall be based on asbroad and democratic a basis as possible.
(2) To deal in the first instance with all differences arising between Poland and the Free City of Danzig in regard to the Treaty of Peace, or any arrangements or agreements made thereunder.
(3) To report to the Council of the League of Nations through the Secretary-Generalon all matters within his jurisdiction as High Commissioner. No mention of this is made in the Treaty of Peace, but it will clearly be necessary for the Council to be kept fully informed.