1941: League Of Nations

Nonpolitical Activities.

Despite its political standstill the work of the League of Nations during 1941 has been continued in several branches of its non-political activities, especially in the sections on economic, financial and transit, on social and humanitarian, and on legal and administrative questions. The latter includes the regular publication of treaties registered with the League and a comprehensive inquiry into the legal status of women. So far as possible the Secretariat maintains, as against post-war reconstruction needs, all exchanges of information regarding health, nutrition, housing, social assistance to and the welfare of young people. The Drug Control Service of both the Secretariat and the Permanent Central Opium Board pursues its regular work through a branch office in Washington; the study and control of serum standards by health agencies and the general work of the medical services go on. Regarding economic, financial and transit questions, the grant of $50,000 by the Rockefeller Foundation for 1941 and 1943 has enabled the staff in Princeton to follow economic developments outside of Europe, while those still in Geneva carry on for Europe and for cooperation with the Western Hemisphere. Some 80 persons are still working in Geneva.

Publications.

Publications under the League during the year included much valuable material. Of particular interest is the ninth edition of the World Economic Survey for 1939-41, published at Princeton by the Economic Intelligence Section. The survey shows the trends and developments of world economy, the measures taken in various countries and the impacts of the war upon those countries, with a summary of the world economic situation in mid-summer, 1941. The uninterrupted publication of the Monthly Bulletin of Statistics has contained useful compilations of trends of prices and costs of living; the Statistical Yearbook likewise continues. In health matters, the regular publications maintained are the section's Bulletin and the Weekly Epidemiological Record. The general activities of the League during 1940-41 were described in a Brief Statement by the Acting Secretary-General, Sean Lester, issued from Geneva in June.

Membership.

France and Finland have formally announced withdrawal from the League, but 48 states remain members and try to contribute to the League's greatly reduced budget, which must support the International Labor Organization and the World Court, as well as the League itself. See also WORLD PEACE.