The League of Nations
Permanent Diplomatic Representation at Geneva
THE recent visit to the Secretary-General of the newly ac- credited permanent diplomatic representative of the Chinese Government to the League of Nations draws attention once more to a significant diplomatic development. The Polish Government as early as 1920 decided to keep an observer in permanent residence in Geneva. The status of this official rapidly evolved into that of an envoy extraordinary and minister-plenipotentiary, and by 1929 numerous diplomatic personnel was attached to the Legation. This example has been so far followed by other States that at the time of thd Tenth Session of the Assembly no fewer than sixteen States were maintaining permanent delegations, many of them enjoying elaborate accommodation and organized similarly to any other diplomatic mission of the Same grade. Alretidy additional 'delegations have appeared, including the Chinese. Moreover, a number of States have resorted to the expedient of utilizing their consular agent in Geneva for the same purposes.
The status and importance of these representatives vary greatly. A few Governments have appointed regular diplo- mats with a recognized diplomatic rank. Other representa- tives are variously termed " Advisory Officer," " Permanent Delegate," or simply " Representative." There is a marked tendency towards the transformation of the latter officials into recognized diplomatic agents, owing to the general feeling that an envoy-extraordinary and minister-plenipo- tentiary commands greater respect than a representative whose title is a diplomatic anomaly.
These diplomatic and quasi-diplomatic representatives are accredited to the Secretary-General or to the Director of the International Labour Office, or in certain cases to both. By the Federal decree of 1922 the Swiss Federal Government grants to- the head of the mission full diplomatic privileges and Mummifies, and to the subordinate diplomatic personnel modified privileges, for example, the right of first installation. But the position remains delicate, owing to the natural un- willingness of the Federal Government to encourage the creation of a rival diplomatic centre at Geneva and so to jeopardize the position of Berne. A number of States accredit their representatives in Berne also to the Secretary-General. Although international courtesy demands a formal residence in Berne, the centre of the representatives' activity lies mainly in Geneva, whither there is a tendency to transfer the Chancellery.
The functions of the permanent delegations are inextricably entangled with the reasons which prompted their creation. Clearly, time and distance in the infancy of air communications and the post-War poverty of governments, may handicap the work of the League and its organs. It is unlikely that far- distant States or smaller Powers with meagre financial resources will willingly incur the expense involved in sending special delegates for each of the innumerable meetings, both political and technical, connected with the work of the League. Thus attendance at League Conferences and meetings is one of the functions of the permanent delegate.
The technical nature and intricate complexity of many of the League's activities require not only specialized knowledge but a prolonged attendance from those who are participating. Each Government hopes to acquire, in its permanent delega- tion, a body of experts upon the work of the League of Nations and the International Labour Office, upon whose advice the Government may rely in any issue where action is involved. Already the practice is developing whereby all communications involving action from and to the Secretary-General and to and from the Government concerned pass through the per- manent delegation. The delegation, if it does not in fact act as the channel of all communications, receives copies of all correspondence and documents.
But a further and more delicate justification for the per- - manent delegation is urged by States which allege that they are unfavourably placed for obtaining " inside " information from the Secretariat because they are " unrepresented " among the more responsible and highly placed officials. It is commonly held that three of the permanent members of the Council are so ably furnished with all the information which
they require by their high-placed officials, that a permanent delegation is unnecessary, while of the other two, one is planning to transform a " liaison office " in Geneva into a full-dress delegation, and the other utilizes its consular agent as a substitute. Many of the smaller Powers, then, consider that only by maintaining a representative in Geneva who can haunt the " coulisses " of the Palais des Nations and by personal contact extract the secrets of officials, will they fully understand and be understood.
It need hardly be added that the permanent delegations are not in a position to render official protection and aid to their nationals. Their relations with the Secretary-General give no title to official communication with the Federal Government. Unofficial discussions for convenience may and do take place, but the only official approach is through the diplomatic agent accredited to the Swiss Government in Berne. Finally, in the appointment of a delegate to the League there is no " Agrdation."
This diplomatic development indicates the growing recog- nition of the League as the keystone of international society. But it is by no means clear that the reaction upon the structure and working of the League is favourable. Geneva has at- tracted on an unprecedented scale responsible members of Governments and experts brought together for the discussion and solution of common problems. Through the direct contact of statesmen many of these problems have shrunk in their proportions and become amenable to settlement. Com- mittees of experts have concentrated upon questions of public health, finance, economic organization, and communications and transit, in an atmosphere remarkably free from diplo- matic tension, the full force of their united experience without which the progress already made would have been impossible. If the permanent diplomatic representative is in future to replace the responsible politician or the expert, the danger of a return to the pre-War methods of negotiation between diplomats may become imminent. It is true that in some cases an expert can always be summoned to the aid of the diplomat. But Governments may be sorely tempted to save the extra expense, and in practice already the temptation has proved too strong. The permanent delegate, however capable, is not omniscient. The quality of international legislation must suffer if one and the same delegate attends conferences and committees dealing with the Traffic in Opium and Dan- gerous Drugs, the Abolition of Prohibitions on the Export of Hides, Skins and Bones, the Traffic in Women and Children, and the Treatment of Foreigners, and only opens his mouth to explain his official instructions in a set speech. Rigidity in negotiation is the greatest danger to international settlement.
A further retrograde step seems to have been taken in the creation of orthodox diplomatic channels for League com- munications in place of direct correspondence between the Secretary-General and Foreign Offices, or in certain cases the appropriate Government department. The doubtful possi- bility that the permanent representative may occasionally speed up the action of his Foreign Office in no way offsets the probability of the loss not only of valuable time but of an even more valuable innovation towards devolution in the conduct of official international relations.
But the most dangerous aspect lies in the justification urged for the third function of the permanent delegation. For the suggestion that the officials of the Secretariat are primarily national representatives, and only secondarily inter- national civil servants, undermines the bases and moral pres- tige of the International Civil Service. National representa- tion and international impartiality are incompatible. Fur- thermore, the obsession of a certain diplomatic school that the. Secretariat is a hotbed of secret intrigue daily embarrasses the officials on whom falls the task of disillusioning the per- manent delegate in his search for non-existent secrets. The creation of a diplomatic centre in Geneva would seriously impede the work of the League by introducing an infectious atmosphere of tension and intrigue, and by interposing once more a " middle-man " between the League and the respon- sible politicians and experts of the Stat embers.
S. H. BAILEY.
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