A.—s.

"Considering that the Bureau of the Conference for the Reduction and Limitation of Armaments is to meet in the near future and that it is for the Bureau to consider practical means of undertaking the necessary work under conditions most likely to lead to as general an agreement as possible: " I. Recognizes the following principles as a necessary basis for any subsequent regulations:— "(1) The intentional bombing of civilian populations is illegal; "(2) Objectives aimed at from the air must be legitimate military objectives and must be identifiable; "(3) Any attack on legitimate military objectives must be carried out in such a way that civilian populations in the neighbourhood are not bombed through negligence; " 11. Also takes the opportunity to reaffirm that the use of chemical or bacterial methods in the conduct of war is contrary to international law, as recalled more particularly in the resolution of the General Commission of the Conference for the Reduction and Limitation of Armaments of 23rd July, 1932, and the resolution of the Council of 14th May, 1938." Recommendation — u The Assembly— " Referring to its resolution of this day's date on the general question of the bombing of civilian populations from the air; r< " Bearing in mind the present situation, notably m Spam and m the £ar East, and being anxious to ascertain what measures could be taken pending a comprehensive settlement of the question by general agreement: " Congratulates the United Kingdom Government on having taken the initiative in setting up a Committee of Investigation to examine cases of the air bombing of civilian populations in Spain; " Having taken note of the report drawn up by that Committee on a number of cases which it has already examined, expresses the opinion that the development of this happy initiative on international lines might do much to render effective the condemnation of this method of warfare by public opinion and to bring about its discontinuance; " Takes note of the Chinese Government's request for the despatch _ot an international Committee to examine cases of air bombardment of civilian populations in China; "Points out that, under the Covenant, the Council may deal at its meetings with any matter within the sphere of action of the League,' especially as regards < the firm establishment of the understandings of international law as the actual rule of conduct among Governments'; "Recommends that the Council should: "(a) Arrange with the United Kingdom Government that the Committee of Investigation already operating in respect of Spain shall send copies of its reports to the Secretary-General of the League of Nations, so that he have them circulated to States members, published, and submitted to the Council; "(b) Take into consideration any other appeal arising out of the bombing from the air of civilian populations directed to establishing, by means of an international Committee, cases of recourse to practices condemned under the principles of international law, to which reference is made in to-day's resolution, and collect for impartial study any material that may be of use." (Document A. 69, 1938, IX.) FOURTH COMMITTEE: FINANCIAL QUESTIONS. New Zealand Delegate: Mr. W. J. Jordan. Substitute: Mr. C. A. Knowles. The Chairman of the Fourth Committee, Count Carton de Wiart, is a familiar figure in Geneva. He has been associated with the Assembly from its earliest years, taking particular interest in social and Budget questions. Before proceeding to an account of the Fourth Committee s work, it will not be out o place to draw attention to the admirable manner in which the documents relating to the Budget and to the internal services of the Secretariat are prepared. Particular y go are the reports of the Supervisory Commission, illuminating documents without which the work of the Fourth Committee would indeed be heavier. Earlv in the proceedings the Secretary-General made the usual statement on the financial position of the League, embodying the three major organizations, the Secretariat the International Labour Office, and the Permanent Court of Int. 3 rn addition to the estimates for 1939 and some material covering part of 1938 the Committee had before it the audited accounts for 1937 and the Auditors report thereon (Document A. 3, 1938, X).

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