My dear Prime Minister,

LEAGUE OF NATIONS ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES

I do not think that there is any doubt that the Second Session of
the Economic Consultative Committee, although apparently a little
barren of results, will lead to a greater sanity of outlook in
regard to the economic tasks which the League of Nations can
properly undertake.

I found myself rather in the position of acting as the spokesman
of those who are opposed to the League tying itself up with free
trade dogma and I certainly was regarded as the principal
protagonist of the view that the League should concentrate as
largely as possible on the provision of a highly intelligent
service of information.

While Sir Arthur Salter [1] is by no means entirely in sympathy
with me in the first of these matters, he is keenly anxious to see
a really good information service developed. He pointed out to me
that the Economic Organisation is already obtaining a very large
amount of information which is not published and that, for a very
modest additional expenditure in staff and printing, it would be
possible greatly to improve and increase supplies of interesting
information. He said, however, that if a change in this direction
was to be accomplished, it would be essential that our point of
view should be effectively expressed at the Assembly, particularly
on the Second and Fourth Committees. [2] He vigorously urged that
it would be of great value if an arrangement could be made whereby
I attended the Assembly as a Substitute Delegate for Australia.

I told Salter that I imagined that the position of Delegates or
Substitute Delegates to the League of Nations was a prize which
was rather eagerly sought after by people in Australia and that I
thought it highly probable that the Government would have already
completed their selection for the Assembly this coming September.

Salter immediately replied that, although it had been the custom
to limit the number of Delegates to 5 i.e. 3 Delegates and 2
Substitute Delegates, there was nothing beyond custom to justify
this and he suggested that I should remind the Commonwealth
Government that there was nothing to debar them from appointing a
third Substitute Delegate, particularly for any special purpose.

On the 18th April I wrote to you making the suggestion that it
might be useful if I were to attend the Assembly as a Delegate but
pointing out that, from a personal point of view, I was by no
means anxious to do so. [3] This position still stands but it
might be desirable for you to consider whether you would care to
appoint me as an additional Substitute Delegate to deal solely
with matters concerning the economic activities of the League of
Nations. If you thought this wise, it would not be necessary for
me to go to Geneva for the first week of the Assembly when the set
speeches are being delivered but I could go at a later stage and
speak on behalf of the Commonwealth on this subject on the Second
and Fourth Committees.

You may perhaps think that I am putting too much emphasis on the
point of being appointed actually a Substitute Delegate. I do not,
however, think that this is the case. It would be quite easy, of
course, to arrange for me to go to Geneva for a few days in
September to act as an expert and advise the Delegation in regard
to this matter. I have, however, had a sufficient experience of
acting as an adviser to members of Committees to know that, on
technical matters such as the one under discussion, it is a pretty
hopeless task and that, if it should be desired to press home the
point about economic activities, it would probably be a waste of
time merely to go as an expert adviser.

16-5-29

Since dictating the foregoing, I have seen the High Commissioner
[4] and mentioned this subject to him. I found him strongly in
agreement with my point of view and he told me that he would write
formally making the suggestion that I should be appointed as a
Substitute Delegate to deal simply with the question of the
League's economic activities. [5]

Yours sincerely,
F. L. MCDOUGALL