Commisions

• Many refugees were displaced by war and lots of towns were completely destroyed. Over 1 million prisoners of war (needed to be repatriated - sent back to their country). There were also millions of people fleeing Russia resulting in thousands in the 'wrong country'.
• Nansen Fridtjof was the high commissioner dealing with the refugee crisis.

  • 1920-21: For prisoners of war - international operation to repatriate over 400000 prisoners of war for just 1 dollar each, using international aid to help.
  • Introduced 'Nansen passports' (1920-25) Which were a form of identity documents for refugees.
• Nansen also issued help for Russian refugees who were in disagreement with returning to communism.
• 1919-1923: Massacres of Turks + Greeks forced a population exchange.

  1920-1930: Armenian Refugee crisis - lived in refugee camps

  • didn't have their own country as Greeks had taken over Armenia

  36,000 Armenians resettled with help of ILO (International Labor Association)

  1930s: Jews in Germany began to be persecuted by Hitler - League helped 600,000 Jews be resettled in countries such as Palestine, USA and various other places across Europe.
• Nansen's approach was to help and care for refugees. He often worked with the ILO to find them employment, and give them permanent aid.

  Repatriation was best, but it was accepted that it would not be possible in all circumstances.

  His work in the refugee crisis was a large success.
• Drugs commission timeline:

  1920 - Opium committee (OAC) founded

  1924/25 - Two international conferences on drugs

  1926 - first convention on opium

  1928 - second convention on opium

  1936 - convention on categorisation of the illegality of certain drugs
• Dr Raechel Crowdy led the league of nations drug commission and worked with a great deal of problems caused by illegal drugs such as codeine, morphine, cocaine, etc.

  Also worked to limit the legal production, manufacture and trade of dangerous drugs.

  Gathered information on the production, manufacture and trade to monitor and find alternatives to drugs which were being misused.

  By the late 30s, the OAP focussed on the trade of illegal drugs.
• The first convention on opium (1926)


  importing, selling and distributing drugs was to be a government monopoly (except for retail sales)

  number of retailers licensed to sell drugs would be restricted

  the sale and use of opium by minors was prohibited
• Second convention on opium (1928)


  system of import and export licenses was developed for dangerous drugs

  nations producing more drugs than needed for legal purposes were required to provide reasoning and explanation
• 1931 Convention on drugs


  nations agreed to estimate quantity of drugs needed for medicinal purposes

  categorisation of drugs introduced to scale different kinds of drugs based on how dangerous they were considered to be, and by their medicinal benefits

  heroin was banned from export except under exceptional circumstances
• Disarmament

  Role - to decrease national armaments to a necessary amount for the purpose of defence against aggressors

  Actions and impact - Geneva protocol 1924: all signatories promised disarmament and abandoned war as a mean of settling disputes

  World disarmament conference, 1932
• Health

  Role - to prevent spread of disease, improve healthcare accessibility, to organise major health campaigns, to spread info about disease and good practice, and to promote standardisation of medications across the world.
• Health

  Actions and impact - 1921: epidemiological intelligence service established (provided information on infectious disease).

  1923: Health committee: to investigate a wide range of diseases

  1928: institute for the study of malaria set up
• International Labour Organisation (ILO)

  Role - Part of treaty of Versailles, set up to deal with worker's pay rights and working conditions

  Action and impact - Annual conference, by 1939, 67 conventions were agreed on issues such as hours, unemployment, working conditions, etc.
• Mandates

  Role - monitor and govern former defeated power colonies not ready to be independent

  Actions and impact - divided colonies into types depending on how ready they were to be independent. (3 different types)
• Slavery

  Role - deal with the issue of slavery, the slave trade and people trafficking.

  Actions and impact - 1921 conference: agreed to tackle people trafficking in women and children.

  1924-26: investigated trafficking in Europe, and Mediterranean region of America

  1926: convention defying slavery

  1929: Investigated trafficking in near, middle and far east.

  also investigated slavery in Liberia, Nepal, Persia, Somalia, Red sea area, etc (during 1920s and 30s)