The Committee of Experts on Statistics held its first meeting in The Hague on January 10-11, 1923. This committee grew out of a joint meeting in London on December 4-5, 1922, of representatives of the Economic Committee of the League of Nations, the International Labor Office and the International Institute of Statistics, to discuss what practical measures might be adopted to increase the comparability of methods in use in different countries in the compilation of economic statistics. Subcommittees were elected to study the following subjects: trade statistics, index numbers, agricultural statistics and mineral statistics. Definite resolutions with regard to three out of the four subjects were adopted at the second meeting, June 6-10, 1923. The Committee is made up of the following members:

J. DVORACEK (Czechoslovak);
A. JENSEN (Danish);

Professor NECULCEA (Rumanian);
Sir Hubert Llewellyn SMITH (British).

The protocol for the arbitration of commercial disputes under the auspices of national or local chambers of commerce was signed at Geneva on September 24, 1923.

International Conference on Customs Formalities The International Conference on Customs Formalities, held under the auspices of the League of Nations October 15-November 2, 1923, resulted in the framing of an international convention. Thirtyfive states took part:

Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, British Empire, Canada, Chile, China, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, India, Irish Free State, Italy, Japan, Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, Lithuania, Luxemburg, Netherlands, Protectorate of Morocco, Poland, Portugal, Rumania, Siam, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tunis, Uruguay.

The United States sent an observer and four experts. The International Chamber of Commerce sent a delegation in an advisory capacity.

The convention may be summarized under the following heads:

1. The elimination of excessive, unnecessary or arbitrary customs formalities, and the equitable treatment of the commerce of all the contracting states;

2. Reduction of import and export prohibitions and restrictions; 3. Obligation on the part of the contracting states to publish their customs and other similar regulations as well as their tariffs; facilities for making these publications accessible to all whom they may concern; centralization of these publications;

4. Redress of unjust administrative decisions;

5. Technical facilities of international commerce;

6. Further attempts to simplify and to make more uniform and reasonable the formalities relating to clearance of goods through the customs, examination of travelers' luggage, the system of goods in bond, and warehousing charges;

7. Co-ordinated recording of progress made.

XVII. TRAFFIC IN WOMEN AND CHILDREN

Art. 23 of the Covenant provides that,

"subject to and in accordance with the provisions of international conventions existing or hereafter to be agreed upon, the Members of the League (c) will intrust the League with the general supervision over the execution of agreements with regard to the traffic in women and children.'

History-A conference was held at Paris, July 15-25, 1902, on this subject and a convention signed there on May 18, 1904. A further conference, resulting in a revised convention, was held at Paris, April 18-May 4, 1910. A preliminary conference looking toward a second revision at a later date was held at Brussels, October 21-24, 1913. The League's first effort was to bring about the revision thus already contemplated, and so to extend the system of protection along lines that experience had shown to be desirable and feasible.

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON WHITE SLAVE TRAFFIC Geneva, June 30-July 5, 1921.

States-Albania, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Esthonia, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Hungary, India, Italy, Japan, Lithuania, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Panama, Poland and Danzig, Portugal, Rumania, Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, Siam, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Uruguay.

Results-Convention embodying 15 recommendations relative to improvements to be effected in the 1910 convention, to national legislation which it is desirable to pass, to matters which should be incorporated in a new international convention.

The Convention on the Traffic in Women and Children was signed at Geneva on September 30, 1921, by the following 33

The convention by February, 1924, had been ratified by Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, Great Britain, Greece, Hungary, India, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Rumania, Siam. Adhesions have been made on behalf of the British colonies and protectorates and by Denmark, Finland and Panama. The Fourth Assembly asked for an inquiry into the delay of other states in taking action.

ADVISORY COMMITTEE

On January 14, 1922, the Council, in fulfillment of the 11th recommendation of the Final Act, adopted a resolution definitely constituting the Advisory Committee on the Traffic in Women and Children, which is now organized as follows:

Government Representatives:

M. REGNAULT (France);
Marquis PAULUCCI

(Italy);

DE CALBOLI

Stanislas POSNER (Poland);

Margaritesco GRACIANO (Rumania);
Dr. Pauline LUISI (Uruguay);
Mme. Estrid HEIN (Denmark);

Delegates of Associations:

S. W. HARRIS, C.B., M.V.O. (Great
Britain);

Señor Pedro SANGRO y Ros de Olano
(Spain);

M. Yotaro SUGIMURA (Japan);

Miss Grace ABBOTT (United States of
America).

S. COHEN, Jewish Association for the Protection of Girls and Women; Miss BAKER, International Bureau for the Suppression of the Traffic in Women and Children;

Mme. Avril de SAINTE-CROIX, Women's International Organizations;

Mme. de MONTENACH, Association Catholique Internationale des Œuvres de Protection de la Jeune Fille;

Mme. STUDER-STEINHAUSLIN, Fédération des Unions Nationales des Amies de la Jeune Fille.

Meetings-1. Geneva, June 28-July 1, 1922.

2. Geneva, March 22-27, 1923.

3. Geneva, April 7-11, 1924.

The League is approaching the problem of traffic in women and children from many angles, of which perhaps the most sig

nificant is the expert inquiry undertaken to ascertain the extent of the traffic in different countries and the effectiveness of the measures hitherto taken to suppress it. These experts drew up a questionnaire to be forwarded to the interested Governments and had authority to make an inquiry on the spot, with the agreement of the interested Governments, and to examine the replies to the questionnaire and the reports on the results of the inquiry. The Council appointed the following persons to conduct the investigation: Col. William F. Snow, Director of the American Bureau of Social Hygiene, president; Princess Christina Giustiniani Bandini (Italian); S. W. Harris (British); M. Hennequin (French); Dr. Paulina Luisi (Uruguayan); Isidore Maus (Belgian); Alfred de Meuron (Swiss).

This Committee of Experts met in Geneva on April 1, and drew up the program of its work.

The Bureau of Social Hygiene of New York offered $75,000 to the League for a study into the conditions under which this traffic has been carried on, and the offer has been accepted by the Council.