LEAGUE OF NATIONS

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 290, 2 September 1933, Page 22

LEAGUE OF NATIONS

Acceptance of Private Donations QUESTION OF VALIDITY : i Christchurch, September 1. The attitude of the League of Nations toward receiving donations to its funds from members of the public is explained In a memorandum which Dr. R. R. D. Milligan, of Christchurch, has received from the treasurer. On March 31 last Dr. Milligan forwarded a gift of £1 to the league's funds with a two-fold request which he expressed in these words: ‘‘First, to satisfy myself that I am prepared to do something to support the league in its always difficult tasks; and, second, to raise the question whether or not the financial regulations of the league permit the acceptance of donations from non-govern-mental (State) sources.” According to the minutes of the meeting of the League Council on May 30, “the Secretary-General, Sir Eric Drummond, said he had received from a private person resident in New Zealand an unconditional gift of £1 as a token of his interest and faith in the league. He suggested that the council should authorise him ... to accept this gift and to thank the donor thereof. In view of future possibilities he hoped to present to the Council «t a subsequent session proposals governing such' matters for the future.” From this last sentence it seems clear that Dr. Milligan did indeed discover a point in the League’s constitution which requires clarifying.

Control by Member States.

•7 The memorandum which is attached to the treasurer’s acknowledgment of the gift sets out the appropriate regulations and continues: — “The League as at present constituted is an association of States governed by an Assembly and a Council in which, with a few exceptions, decisions can only be taken by unanimity of the States represented, and it derives its financial resources from contributions of the member States, the total amount of which for each year is fixed by the adoption of that year's budget by the Assembly, and the expenditure of which is regulated by the budget. Control over the activities of -the League, and in particular financial control, must, it would seem, continue to remain with the Governments of the member States. It is for this reason that the financial regulations prevent the Secretary-General from accepting gifts for the purposes of the League except with the approval of the'Assembly or of the Council. “Subject, however, to the terms on which the gift is offered permitting of its application for a purpose with which the league is concerned under the authority and control of the assem bly and the council, the acceptance of gifts from private sources by the league has never been considered to be inconsistent with its constitution or position. On the contrary, the league has owed to the generosity of the Rockefeller Trust the possibility of performing much of its work in the domain of International public health and various other of its activities have from time to time been assisted by grants from that source or other sources. Gifts for Non-Political “Some gifts have to some extent enabled the league to deal with matters of international interest of a non-poll-tical character, for which at the moment the member states did not find it possible to provide the necessary financial resources. Furthermore, a generous gift from J. D. Rockefeller, junior, has enabled the league to construct and plan the library which forms part of its new premises now in erection on a larger scale than would otherwise have been contemplated. It wbuld, however; be untrue to say that the strictly political activities of the league were in any way hampered by lack of financial resources, and it is thought that It may be taken for certain that receipts from private sources could never be allowed to become more than a minor and quite subsidiary part of the financial structure of the league. It would also be entirely Inconsistent with the nature of the league that the making of gifts to it should give individuals any- voice in or influence over its management.

“Accordingly, it is not the policy of the league to endeavour in any way to obtain funds for its normal work from the public at large. As regards the general public, what is of importance for the league Is that knowledge of the purposes for which it was created, aud of the machinery which it furnishes for international discussion and action, should be as widely as possible disseminated by instruction in schools and universities by the activities of League of Nations’ societies, and so forth. “The League of Nations is recognised as a juridical person in Switzerland; the necessity for determining its precise legal status in other countries has not arisen. There is no need to discuss the various difficulties which might arise in making particular kinds of gifts to the league, but gifts of money could probably always be paid to the Secretary-General. “The league has not hitherto received any money or other property by bequest, and there has been no decision by any Government or judicial authority as to the validity of such a bequest. There appears to be no reason to suppose that, whatever the testator’s country, an appropriate method of making such a bequest effectively could not be found.”