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The Commissions

Tell me about the commissions in the League of Nations.

The commissions were individual agencies set up by the League to tackle specific problems in member countries.

What were the commissions of the League of Nations?

Each commission had its own role and function.

• ❖ The Mandates Commission, for supervising the former colonies of Germany and Turkey.
• ❖ The Danzig Commission, which supervised the former German city.
• ❖ The Minorities Commission tried to improve the treatment and rights of ethnic minorities.
• ❖ The Special Commission for Drug Traffic tried to stop drug smuggling and addiction.
• ❖ The Refugees Committee aimed to solve the problem of refugees and prisoners of war after World War One.
• ❖ The Health Committee aimed to improve the health of people around the world.
• ❖ The Slavery Commission aimed to abolish slavery.
• ❖ The Women's Rights Commission aimed to introduce more equality for women.
• ❖ The World Disarmament Commission aimed to get all countries to cut their armed forces.
• ❖ Economic and financial commissions were set up to help countries with struggling economies after World War One.

What was the Mandates Commission in the League of Nations?

The Mandates Commission was responsible for the colonies of nations defeated in World War One.

• ❖ The Mandates Commission was a team of advisers that checked in on colonies previously owned by nations defeated in the First World War.
• ❖ The Mandate Commission was to report back on the treatment of the colonies and whether Britain and France, who now ruled them, were treating them fairly.
• ❖ The Commission's aim was to make sure France and Britain weren't abusing their authority, but were helping the people of each colony.
• ❖ The Commission also took responsibility for the well-being of minority groups.

What was the Refugees Commission in the League of Nations?

The Refugees Commission (or Committee) was set up following the end of the First World War with the aim of repatriating the many hundreds of thousands of refugees who had fled areas of conflict.

• ❖ The Refugees Commission's main concerns were focused on territories such as the Balkans, Greece, Armenia and Turkey.
• ❖ The League of Nations reported in 1927 that there were 750,000 refugees from former Russian states, and 168,000 Armenians, all in need of repatriation.
• ❖ The League of Nations appointed Fridtjof Nansen to oversee the huge task of repatriating and aiding the refugees.

What was the Slavery Commission in the League of Nations?

The League of Nations created the Slavery Commission to abolish worldwide slavery, and help any worker being treated like a slave.

What was the League of Nations Commissions to prevent drug-use?

The League had a Special Commission for Drug Traffic that aimed to regulate harmful drugs and co-operate on the problem of drug-smuggling.

• ❖ As part of this, the League set up the Permanent Central Opium Board. This aimed to stop the creation and distribution of opium, a highly addictive drug.
• ❖ In 1925, the scope of the Permanent Central Opium Board was widened to include the regulation of other drugs.

What was the Health Organisation in the League of Nations Commissions?

The Health Organisation, or Committee, aimed to eradicate dangerous diseases and educate the general public on hygiene.

• ❖ The Health Organisation also worked alongside charities to spread global awareness on major health issues.
• ❖ It set up medical research projects and centres.
• ❖ It worked on the prevention of disease.

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