Page:Lltreaties-ustbv001.pdf/882

Rh 1. Utters a wish that the Government of the Netherlands be pleased to call to the attention of the Governments of Austria-Hungary, Norway, and Sweden the fact that the signature, ratification, drawing up of legislative measures, and putting the convention into force constitute four distinct stages which permit of those powers giving their supplemental signature even now.

Indeed, it is seen from articles 23 and 24 that a period of six months is allowed to run between the going into effect of the convention and the drawing up of the bills, regulations, and other measures contemplated in the convention. Furthermore, the third paragraph of article 24 gives the contracting powers the liberty to reach an agreement, after ratification, upon the date on which the said legislative measures shall go into effect. Besides we can not refrain from remarking that the difficulties foreseen by Austria-Hungary, Norway, and Sweden with respect to their legislation were not unknown to the delegates of the signatory powers and were subjected to thorough consideration on the part of the twelve contracting powers. Nearly all the signatory powers are in the same situation as the above-mentioned Governments and have not yet elaborated all the bills contemplated by the convention;

2. Utters the with that the Government of the Netherlands be pleased to communicate to the Governments of Bulgaria, Greece, Montenegro, Peru, Roumania, Servia, Turkey, and Uruguay the following resolution:

"The conference regrets that some Governments have refused or neglected to sign the convention as yet. The conference is of opinion that the abstention of those powers would prove a most serious obstruction to the humane purposes aimed at by the convention. The conference expresses its firm hope that those powers will desist from their negative or dilatory attitude,"

3. Utters the wish that the Government of the Netherlands be pleased to point out to the Helvetic Government its error in deeming its cooperation to be of hardly any value. Contrary to what is said in the Federal Council's letter of October 25, 1912, the conference holds that Switzerland's cooperation would be most serviceable in its effect, whereas her abstention would jeopardize the results of the convention. As to the question raised by the Federal Council concerning the respective powers of the Federal and Canton Legislatures, it is to be noted that similar difficulties were already considered by the first conference, which took them into account in wording the convention;

4. Requests the signatory Governments to instruct their representatives abroad to uphold the above-indicated action of their Netherland colleagues;

III. Utters the wish that in case the signature of all the powers invited by virtue of paragraph 1 of article 23 shall not have been secured by the 31st of December, 1913, the Government of the Netherlands will immediately invite the signatory powers on that date to designate delegates to take up the question whether it is possible to put the International Opium Convention of January 23, 1912, into operation.

In faith whereof the delegates have affixed their signatures to the present protocol.

Done at The Hague, the ninth of July, one thousand nine hundred and thirteen, in one copy that shall remain deposited in the archives of the Government of the Netherlands and certified copies of which shall be delivered through the diplomatic channel to all the powers, whether or not signatory.