which in no way binds the hands of any government which may participate in the plan, is made because Dr. Nansen's experience has convinced him of the great importance of facilitating, as far as possible, free movement by refugees. It has been found that if the refugee certificate authorises return to the issuing country, the economic position of the holder is improved by the facilities which he thus obtains for visiting temporarily other countries, which may offer him opportunities for employment or business, and his ultimate emigration to another country is in fact encouraged. It is thought that it would be very advantageous if governments felt themselves able to agree in principle to grant the right of return when issuing the refugee certificate. Dr. Nansen has not, however, ventured to make the certificate available for return in all cases. The plan has been framed in a form which makes it possible for it to be brought into operation, without the convening of a special conference, through notification to me of the desire of individual governments to accede to it. If this method of solving the problem is found feasible, a saving of time and expense would be effected; and, in view of the practical identity of the present proposal with the Arrangement for Russian refugees made at Geneva, which was drawn up in careful consultation by a Conference of government representatives, and which has already secured the adhesion of so many States, it is thought possible that the governments interested will not consider a discussion necessary. Should, however, the interested governments consider that the present matter requires discussion, no difficulty is anticipated in convening a meeting of representatives for this purpose. Dr. Nansen desires me to emphasise that the object in view is solely to secure the provision to Armenian refugees of an identity certificate, and not in any way to prejudice any question as to their national status. The Arrangement of Geneva relating to Russian refugees and the certificate issuable under that Arrangement was circulated in Document C. L. 79. 1922. I have the honour to ask whether your Government would consider the present communication and the enclosed plan by Dr. Nansen and communicate to me, for Dr. Nansen's information, at an early date its decision as to whether it is disposed to adopt the plan submitted, without the convening of a special meeting or whether it thinks it necessary that such a meeting should be held. I have [etc.] ERIC DRUMMOND 511.1 C 1/7 The Acting Secretary of State to the Minister in Switzerland No. 41 (Gibson) WASHINGTON, August 5, 1924. SIR: I enclose, for transmission in the usual informal manner, a communication to the Secretary General of the League of Nations in reply to a Note, dated June 10, 1924, concerning a plan for the issuance of certificates of identity to Armenian refugees in order that they might establish their identity and travel freely in pursuit of their normal occupations. In transmitting this Note you should request the appropriate authorities of the League of Nations to inform you when the text of this communication will be released to the press. This information should be cabled to the Department in order that a simultaneous release may be effected here. I am [etc.] For the Acting Secretary of State: [Enclosure] The Acting Secretary of State to the Secretary General of the League of Nations (Drummond) The Acting Secretary of State of the United States of America has received the communication of the Secretary General of the League of Nations, dated June 10, 1924, transmitting a plan for the issue of certificates of identity to Armenian refugees in order that they may establish their identity and travel freely in pursuance of their normal occupations. The American Government is not in a position to issue travel documents to aliens. It does not require certificates of identity of aliens sojourning within its territory or of those desiring to depart therefrom. For entry into the United States alien immigrants are required to present an immigration visa issued by the appropriate American Consul. The American Consuls will accept from aliens unable to present passports in connection with their applications for immigration visas appropriate documents of identity in lieu of passports. The Nansen certificates issued to Russian refugees have been considered to fall within the category of documents in lieu of passports. Similarly, non immigrant aliens are granted passport visas upon personal affidavits or other documents in lieu of passports when they are unable to present passports. Aliens resident in the United States who desire to depart temporarily, may obtain from the Commissioner General of Immigration, Washington, D. C., permits to return valid for six months, capable of further extension in the discretion of the Commissioner General of Immigration. WASHINGTON, August 5, 1924. 511.1 C 1/11 The Minister in Switzerland (Gibson) to the Secretary of State No. 142 BERNE, September 24, 1924. SIR: I have the honor to refer to the Department's instruction No. 41, of August 5, 1924, enclosing a communication to the Secretary General of the League of Nations in reply to a note, dated June 10, 1924, concerning a plan for the issuance of certificates of identity to Armenian refugees in order that they might establish their identity and travel freely in pursuit of their normal occupations. There is enclosed herewith the reply from the Secretary General of the League to the Department's communication referred to above. With reference to the second paragraph of the Department's instruction under reference, I have the honor to transmit herewith a copy of a letter, dated September 19, 1924,6s from Mr. Huntington Gilchrist, of the Secretariat of the League, stating that the Department's communication to the Secretary General would be released to the press in Geneva on October tenth next. My telegram No. 86, of September 20, 1924, 12 a. m.,68 conveying this information to the Department, was based on this letter. I have [etc.] [Enclosure] HUGH GIBSON The Secretary General of the League of Nations (Drummond) to the Acting Secretary of State The Secretary-General of the League of Nations has the honour to acknowledge with thanks the communication of the Acting Secretary of State of the United States of America, dated August 5th, 1924, relative to the identity certificates for refugees prepared by Dr. Nansen, High Commissioner for Refugees. Dr. Nansen, to whom this communication has been transmitted. desires to record his high appreciation of the recognition by the Government of the United States of the Identity Certificate for Russian Refugees and ventures to assume that as the Identity Certificate for the Armenian Refugees is to all intents and purposes an analo gous document, the Government of the United States of America will find it possible to afford recognition to that document also. GENEVA, September 12, 1924. 511.1 C 1/11: Telegram The Secretary of State to the Minister in Switzerland (Gibson) WASHINGTON, October 9, 1924—5 p.m. 75. Your despatch 142, September 24. You may inform the Secretary General of the League of Nations that the Department of State will be willing for all practical purposes to consider the identity certificates for Armenian refugees as appropriate documents in lieu of passports. HUGHES AMERICAN PARTICIPATION IN THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE FOR CONTROL OF THE TRAFFIC IN HABIT-FORMING DRUGS " 511.4 A 2/6 The Secretary General of the League of Nations (Drummond) to the Netherland Minister of Foreign Affairs (Van Karnebeek) 70 C.L.108(a).1923 XI [Translation 71] GENEVA, October 18, 1923. MR. MINISTER: The Assembly of the League of Nations, at its recent session, considered and adopted the report of the Advisory Committee on Opium and Other Dangerous Drugs (A. 13) and passed certain resolutions in connection therewith. Of these, two resolutions, nos. 5 and 6, deal with the calling by the Council of the League of two conferences and read as follows: RESOLUTION 5: The Assembly approves the proposal of the Advisory Committee that the governments concerned should be invited. immediately to enter into negotiations with a view to the conclusion of an agreement as to the measures for giving effective application in the Far Eastern territories to part II of the Convention 72 and as to a reduction of the amount of raw opium to be imported for the purpose of smoking in those territories where it is temporarily 70 For previous correspondence, see Foreign Relations, 1923, vol 1, pp. 89 ff. Copy received from the Netherland Legation Nov. 27, 1923. A similar communication (C. L. 108, Oct. 18, 1923) was transmitted to the Department through the Legation in Switzerland Nov. 7. "File translation revised. 72 International Opium Convention signed at The Hague Jan. 23, 1912; Foreign Relations, 1912, p. 196. continued, and as to the measures which should be taken by the Government of the Republic of China to bring about the suppression of the illegal production and use of opium in China, and requests the Council to invite those governments to send representatives with plenipotentiary powers to a conference for the purpose and to report to the Council at the earliest possible date. 73 RESOLUTION 6: The Assembly, having noted with satisfaction that, in accordance with the hope expressed in the fourth resolution adopted by the Assembly in 1922, the Advisory Committee has reported that the information now available makes it possible for the governments concerned to examine, with a view to the conclusion of an agreement, the question of the limitation of the amounts of morphine, heroin, or cocaine and their respective salts to be manufactured; of the limitation of the amounts of raw opium and the coca leaf to be imported for that purpose and for other medicinal and scientific purposes; and of the limitation of the production of raw opium and the coca leaf for export to the amount required for such medicinal and scientific purposes: requests the Council, as a means of giving effect to the principles submitted by the representatives of the United States of America, and to the policy which the League, on the recommendation of the Advisory Committee, has adopted, to invite the governments concerned to send representatives with plenipotentiary powers to a conference for this purpose, to be held, if possible, immediately after the conference mentioned in Resolution 5. The Assembly also suggests, for the consideration of the Council, the advisability of enlarging this conference so as to include within its scope all countries which are members of the League or parties to the Convention of 1912, with a view to securing their adhesion to the principles that may be embodied in any agreement reached. 74 The Council, at its meeting on September 29th, considered these two resolutions, and adopted the following resolution, which decides the place where the Conference is to be held and fixes the provisional date: The Council of the League of Nations, while reserving until its December session the final fixing of the conferences provided for by the Assembly in connection with the traffic in opium and other dangerous drugs, decides, provisionally, that the first conference of countries having possessions where the smoking of opium is still continued should be convoked at Geneva in July 1924, the second conference to follow immediately afterwards. The Secretary General has the honor to request the Government of the Netherlands to bring this information to the notice of the Governments of the United States of America, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, and Mexico, with a view to enabling them to make such preliminary arrangements as they may deem advisable to obtain 73 Sept. 19; League of Nations, Resolutions and Recommendations Adopted by the Assembly During Its Third Session (September 4th to 30th, 1922), p. 31. 74 See statement of the position of the United States, Foreign Relations, 1923, vol. 1, p. 100. |