viding a uniform law for cheques is subject to the reservations mentioned in articles 2, 4, 8, 15, 16, paragraph 2, 19, 24, 25, 26, 27, 29, and 30 of annex II to the convention. The Federal Councillor further informed the Secretary-General of the League of Nations that the ratification of the three above-mentioned conventions will take effect only after the adoption of a law revising sections XXIV to XXXIII of the Federal Code of Obligations or, if necessary, of a special law regarding bills of exchange, promissory notes, and cheques. MONETARY AND ECONOMIC CONFERENCE 5 In September the President appointed as the American representatives on the Organizing Committee of the Monetary and Economic Conference the Honorable Frederic M. Sackett, Ambassador to Germany, and the Honorable Norman H. Davis, former Under Secretary of State. The Organizing Committee at a meeting at Geneva October 3, 1932, announced the following decisions: 1. That the Preparatory Committee of Experts should meet in Geneva on October 31; 2. That the conference should be held in London as soon as the work of the Preparatory Committee permits; 3. That the Secretary-General of the League should issue invitations to the conference to all nations of the world including both member and nonmember states. The American representatives appointed to the Preparatory Committee of Experts of the conference, Mr. Edmund E. Day, Director for Social Sciences with the Rockefeller Foundation, and Prof. John H. Williams of Harvard University, sailed from New York on October 18, 1932. They were accompanied by Mr. Herbert Feis, Economic Adviser of the Department of State, Mr. Louis Domeratzky, Chief of the Division of Regional Information, Department of Commerce, Mr. J. Frederick Dewhurst, Chief of the Division of Economic Research, Department of Commerce, and Mr. James C. Dunn, Chief of the Division of International Conferences, Department of State. The Preparatory Committee of Experts, in accordance with the above-mentioned decision taken by the Organizing Committee, met at Geneva on October 31, 1932. 'See Bulletin No. 35, August, 1932, p. 18. LABOR CONVENTION CONCERNING THE MARKING OF THE WEIGHT ON HEAVY PACKAGES TRANSPORTED BY VESSELS Finland According to a communication dated August 24, 1932, from the League of Nations, the instrument of ratification by Finland of the convention concerning the marking of the weight on heavy packages transported by vessels, adopted by the International Labor Conference at its twelfth session (Geneva, May 30-June 21, 1929), was registered with the Secretariat on August 8, 1932. The convention will become operative in Finland on January 1, 1933. NAVIGATION INTERNATIONAL LOAD LINE CONVENTION 6 The American Embassy at London forwarded to the Secretary of State with a despatch dated October 7, 1932, a copy of a communication from the British Foreign Office, dated October 6, 1932, listing as follows the countries whose ratifications of the international load line convention, signed July 5, 1930, were deposited on October 1, 1932: United Kingdom, Canada, Finland, France, Italy, Portugal, Norway, New Zealand (including Western Samoa), Russia, Sweden, and Spain. The countries which had previously deposited their ratifications are the United States of America, Denmark, Latvia, and the Netherlands. The convention will come into force in respect of all these countries on January 1, 1933. Cuba By a despatch dated October 21, 1932, the American Embassy at Habana reported that according to the Diario de La Marina of October 18, 1932, the Cuban Senate, on October 17, 1932, gave its consent to the ratification of the international load line convention, signed at London July 5, 1930. Greece AGREEMENT CONCERNING MARITIME SIGNALS 7 According to a circular letter dated September 29, 1932, from the League of Nations, the instrument of ratification by Greece of the See Bulletin No. 35, August, 1932, p. 22. 7 See Bulletin No. 30, March, 1932, p. 15. 146504-32- -3 agreement concerning maritime signals, signed at Lisbon October 23, 1930, was deposited with the Secretariat on September 14, 1932. CONVENTION FOR THE UNIFICATION OF CERTAIN RULES RELATING TO THE IMMUNITIES OF GOVERNMENT VESSELS 9 Mexico The American Ambassador to Mexico forwarded to the Secretary of State with a despatch dated September 30, 1932, a translation of a presidential decree published in Diario Oficial, No. 21, of September 30, 1932, promulgating the international convention for the unification of certain rules relating to the immunities of government vessels, signed at Brussels April 10, 1926. Ratification of the convention was advised by the Senate of the United Mexican States and promulgated by the President on September 15, 1932. POSTAL POSTAL UNION OF THE AMERICAS AND SPAIN 10 By a note dated September 3, 1932, the Spanish Ambassador at Washington informed the Secretary of State of the official deposit on August 11, 1932, of instruments of ratification of the convention and the agreements relative to money orders and parcels post, signed at the Conference of the Postal Union of the Americas and Spain, Madrid, November 10, 1931. The convention and the two agreements were ratified by the United States of America and Spain; the agreement relating to money orders was ratified by the Dominican Republic, and the agreement relating to parcels post was adhered to by Canada. Argentina By a despatch dated October 7, 1932, the American Ambassador to Argentina reported that a presidential decree, dated September 5, 1932, was published in the Boletín Oficial of September 22, 1932, approving the convention, final protocol of the convention, regulations of the execution of the convention, the parcel post agreement, the agreement relating to money orders, and the provisions relating to the transportation of correspondence by air, all signed at the Conference of the Postal Union of the Americas and Spain, Madrid, November 10, 1931. The decree also states that the agreements are to be submitted to the Congress. • See Bulletin No. 21, June, 1931, p. 17. STATISTICS INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION AND PROTOCOL RELATING TO ECONOMIC STATISTICS 11 The Netherlands According to a circular letter dated September 29, 1932, from the League of Nations, the instrument of ratification by the Netherlands of the convention relating to economic statistics, and protocol, signed at Geneva December 14, 1929, was deposited with the Secretariat on September 13, 1932. The Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands informed the Secretary-General of the League that the ratification applies only to the territory of the Netherlands in Europe, and that the Netherlands do not intend to assume, at present, any obligation as regards the whole of the Netherland overseas territories. "See Bulletin No. 36, September, 1932, p. 11. TEXTS OF TREATIES AND AGREEMENTS [The publication of texts hereunder does not imply that the United States is, contemplates becoming, or is eligible to become a party.] INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION FOR THE LOWERING OF ECONOMIC BARRIERS 1 His Majesty the King of the Belgians, Her Royal Highness the Grand Duchess of Luxembourg and Her Majesty the Queen of the Netherlands, Taking their inspiration from the resolutions of the Assembly of the League of Nations and the concordant recommendations of the best qualified economic experts as to the necessity for ameliorating the regime of production and exchanges and expanding markets; Convinced that economic activity is seriously endangered by the more and more numerous obstacles encountered by international commerce; Considering that it is urgent that the states renounce a policy which is injurious both to their private interest and the general interest; Persuaded that the progressive realization of a greater liberty of exchanges is one of the essential conditions for the restoration of world prosperity; Desirous of undertaking in this sense a concerted action, in which all states will have the privilege of participating, and of contributing, by this means, to the correction of the general economic situation; Have resolved to conclude a convention for the lowering of economic barriers and to this end have designated as their Plenipotentiaries the following, namely: His Majesty the King of the Belgians, Mr. Paul Hymans, His Minister for Foreign Affairs, Her Royal Highness the Grand Duchess of Luxembourg, Mr. Joseph Bech, Her Minister of State, President of the Her Majesty the Queen of the Netherlands, Jonkheer Frans Beelaerts van Blokland, Her Minister for Foreign Affairs, Who, after having communicated to each other their full powers, found in good and due form, have agreed upon the following articles: 'Translation by the Department of State. |