without producing an agreement between the parties, within six months from the termination of the work of the conciliation commission. The Council may extend either of the above periods by a decision of all its members other than the parties to the dispute. On May 21, 1931, the instruments of accession by Great Britain in respect of Australia, India, and New Zealand, to all the provisions of the act were likewise deposited with the Secretariat of the League. These accessions are subject to the same conditions as is the accession of Great Britain as stated above. CONVENTION RESPECTING THE LIMITATION OF THE EMPLOYMENT OF FORCE FOR THE RECOVERY OF CONTRACT DEBTS 2 Mexico By a note dated June 17, 1931, the Minister of the Netherlands in Washington informed the Secretary of State that the Chargé d'Affaires ad interim of Mexico at The Hague had notified the Netherland Government of the denunciation by his Government of the convention respecting the limitation of the employment of force for the recovery of contract debts, signed at The Hague, October 18, 1907. The notification was received by the Netherland Government on April 21, 1931, and according to article 6 of the convention will take effect one year thereafter, or on April 21, 1932. France PERMANENT COURT OF INTERNATIONAL JUSTICE The Secretary-General of the League of Nations informed the Secretary of State by a communication dated May 28, 1931, of the receipt by him of the instruments of ratification by the President of France of (1) the protocol concerning the revision of the Statute of the Permanent Court of International Justice, signed at Geneva, September 14, 1929; and (2) the protocol relating to the accession of the United States of America to the protocol of signature of the Statute of the Permanent Court of International Justice, signed at Geneva, September 14, 1929. The instruments of ratification were deposited with the Secretariat of the League on May 8, 1931. Italy The Secretary-General of the League of Nations informed the Secretary of State by a communication dated May 5, 1931, that the Italian Minister for Foreign Affairs had forwarded to him the in 'See supplement to the bulletin for June, 1929, p. 7. struments of ratification by His Majesty the King of Italy of (1) the protocol concerning the revision of the Statute of the Permanent Court of International Justice; and (2) the protocol relating to the accession of the United States of America to the protocol of signature of the Statute of the Permanent Court of International Justice. The instruments of ratification were deposited with the Secretariat of the League on April 2, 1931. Persia The Secretary-General of the League of Nations informed the Secretary of State by a circular letter dated May 13, 1931, that the Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary, Permanent Delegate of Persia accredited to the League of Nations, deposited with the Secretariat on April 25, 1931, the instrument of ratification of His Imperial Majesty the Shah of Persia of (1) the Statute of the Permanent Court of International Justice annexed to the protocol of signature relating thereto, signed at Geneva, December 16, 1920; (2) the protocol concerning the revision of the Statute of the Permanent Court of International Justice, signed at Geneva, September 14, 1929; and (3) the protocol relating to the accession of the United States of America to the protocol of signature of the Statute of the Permanent Court of International Justice, signed at Geneva, September 14, 1929. ACCEPTANCE OF RESERVATIONS MADE BY CUBA WHEN RATIFYING THE PROTOCOL OF REVISION OF THE STATUTE Portugal By a circular letter dated June 1, 1931, the Acting Legal Adviser of the League of Nations informed the Secretary of State, that he had received a communication dated May 12, 1931, from the chief of the Portuguese office accredited to the League of Nations stating that the Government of Portugal had no objections to the reservations made by Cuba when ratifying the protocol concerning the revision of the Statute of the Permanent Court of International Justice, signed at Geneva, September 14, 1929. The opinion was expressed by the Portuguese Government that in view of the character of the reservations, the settlement of the questions referred to could be undertaken by the Permanent Court itself. Sweden The Acting Legal Adviser of the League of Nations transmitted to the Secretary of State by a circular letter dated May 27, 1931, the text of the letter which the Swedish Government addressed to him concerning the reservations made by the Government of Cuba when ratifying the protocol of revision of the Statute of the Permanent Court of International Justice. The letter, dated April 25, 1931, is as follows: In reply to the request contained in your letter of January 22nd last with reference to the reservations formulated by the Republic of Cuba as regards ratification of the protocol concerning the revision of the Statute of the Permanent Court of International Justice, signed at Geneva on September 14, 1929, I have the honour to make the following statement: The first Cuban reservation refers to article 4 of the aforesaid protocol, which lays down the conditions for the entry into force of that instrument on September 1, 1930. The protocol not having entered into force on the date specified, the essential provision of article 4 may be regarded as no longer applicable. The second reservation refers to the new wording of article 23 of the Statute of the Court, which provides that the Court shall remain permanently in session. This provision embodies one of the fundamental principles determining the revision and it would seem desirable that the Cuban reservation referring to it, which appears likely to encounter serious objections, should be thoroughly examined by the Assembly of the League of Nations and by all the Governments concerned. This examination might perhaps take place at the next ordinary session of the Assembly, which will, in any case, have, on that occasion, to resume the study of the conditions for the entry into force of the protocol. Under these circumstances, the Royal Government does not consider it possible to take up a definite position at the present time with regard to the said reservations of the Cuban Government. ARMAMENT REDUCTION LONDON NAVAL TREATY OF 1930 By a letter dated June 22, 1931, the Acting Secretary of the Navy informed the Secretary of State that the Navy Department had completed the work of converting the U.S.S. Utah to a target vessel as provided for in article 2 of the London naval treaty. This information has been communicated to the Governments of Great Britain, France, and Japan. 3 The British Ambassador at Washington informed the Secretary of State by a note dated May 25, 1931, in accordance with the provisions of article 10 of the London naval treaty of 1930, of the following particulars on laying of keel: H. M. S. DAINTY Classification: destroyer Date of laying of keel: April 20, 1931 Standard displacement: 1,375 tons (1,397 metric tons) 'See Treaty Series, No. 830, p. 5. 66635-31-2 Extreme beam at or below water line: 33 feet Mean draft at standard displacement: 8 feet, 6 inches H. M. S. DELIGHT Classification: destroyer Date of laying of keel: April 22, 1931 Standard displacement: 1,375 tons (1,397 metric tons) Extreme beam at or below water line: 33 feet Mean draft at standard displacement: 8 feet, 6 inches INTERNATIONAL LAW CONVENTION RELATING TO CONFLICT OF LAWS ON NATIONALITY Monaco By a letter dated May 28, 1931, the Acting Legal Adviser of the League of Nations informed the Secretary of State that the Consul General of the Principality of Monaco at Geneva had adhered on April 27, 1931, on behalf of his Government, to the convention relating to conflict of laws on nationality, signed at The Hague, April 12, 1930. In accordance with the terms of articles 25 and 26 of the convention, the adherence of Monaco will become effective 90 days after the date on which a procès verbal shall have been drawn up by the Secretary-General of the League of Nations, stating that ratifications or adherences of 10 members of the League or nonmember states have been deposited with the Secretariat. RENUNCIATION OF WAR STATUS OF RATIFICATIONS OF AND ADHERENCES TO THE TREATY FOR THE RENUNCIATION OF WAR The countries which were invited to adhere but have not yet adhered are Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, El Salvador, and Uruguay. Of these Bolivia, Ecuador, El Salvador, and Uruguay have expressed an intention to adhere. RESTRICTION OF WAR CONVENTION FOR THE AMELIORATION OF THE CONDITION OF THE SICK AND WOUNDED OF ARMIES IN THE FIELD AND CONVENTION RELATING TO THE TREATMENT OF PRISONERS OF WAR 5 Yugoslavia By a note dated June 3, 1931, the Swiss Minister at Washington informed the Secretary of State that the instruments of ratification by His Majesty the King of Yugoslavia of the convention for the amelioration of the condition of the sick and wounded of armies in the field and of the convention relating to the treatment of prisoners of war, signed at Geneva, July 27, 1929, were deposited in the archives of the Swiss Confederation on May 20, 1931. These ratifications will become effective six months after their deposit, or on November 20, 1931, in accordance with articles 33 and 92 of the conventions respectively. 5 See ibid., p. 7. |