LEAGUE OF NATIONS. vireunicated tv the Council. C,201(d) 1931.IX. Geneva, May 16 th, 1931, SEAT OF TEE GENER.Ü. DISARMS leet CONFERENCE. Note by the Secretary-General 'with reference to documents C.201 and C,201 a) 1931, IX., the Sccretary-General has the honour to communicate to the Council copy of a letter of Nay 15th, 1931, from M. Guillaume Ratio, copy of a letter of May 12th from M. Eirigoyen, Mayor of Biarritz, and copy of a letter of May 15th from the Society of Hotel-Eeepers of Lausanne-Ouchy. Republic and Canton of Geneva, ORGANISAT I ON COMMISSION FOR THE GENERAL DISARMAMENT CONFERENCE. Geneva, May 15th, 1931. On May 2nd, 1931, I had the honour to submit a memorandum on the work of the Organisation Commission for the Disarmament Conference. I now venture to supply the following additional explanations. If the League of Nations wished to continue using the premises to be constructed for the Disarmament Conference until the League establishes itself at Ariana, the State Council of the Republic and Canton of Geneva would be prepared to preserve the buildings temporarily instead of dismantling them in accordance with its intention.
- 2 «For this intermediary period, the State Council would allow the League to use the buildings for a rental equivalent to 5% interest on the cost of these buildings (about 800,000 Swiss francs), i«.e» 40,000 francs per year. The land on which the Conference rooms and their approaches are to be constructed belong to third parties. If you desire, I could ascertain their views in respect to a temporary lease It has, moreover, been agreed that the State Couhcil will place at the League?s disposal the necessary sum for purchasing the furniture of the Conference rooms and that the League will give the orders according to its needs (about 150,000 francs according to your estimates). If, after the Disarmament Conference, the League wishes to purchase sucii of the furniture it considers useful for its present and future needs, the State of Geneva will be prepared to sell them after the Conference at a discount of 10% on the purchase price, GUILIADME FAT10 President of the Commission,
- 3 - Town of Biarritz. Offioe of the Mayor. Biarritz, May 12th, 1931. Some months ago I had the honour, in suggesting Biarritz as the seat of the forthcoming Disarmament Conference, to send you some documents illustrating the material and moral advantages offered by the city of which I have the honour to be Mayor. I venture to attach a list of some of the premises which would be placed at the disposal of the Secretariat of the League, the delegations or the press. Should these be not sufficiently numerous there are many large villas at Biarritz, so that the members of the Conference will have at their disposal the largest and most suitable premises that could be desired. In spite of the distance the low cost of living will represent a considerable economy in the expenses of the delegations, of the Secretariat and of the press, and this fact, together with the atmosphere of complete tranquillity, is a guarantee of useful and conclusive discussions and gives me grounds for hoping that the decision will be favourable to our ity and therefore also favourable to the cause of peace. HIRIGOYEN, Mayor.
- 4 ~ ^ J i n -:P ^ 1 l- L? h o? o s a ls o? t e l; t o m o f biarritz. Premires. placed at the disposal of the Disarmament Conference by the town of Biarritz, PALAIS BLL^i VUE (Round Hall 830 (Large Hall 700 (Ad jasent Hall... 200 (Gallery... 120 (Hall riith columns 150 (Entrance Hall. _260 square rr t f T? ff tr metres, Tf n Tf 2 ;360 PAVILION ROYAL (Large Hall... *. c,. 400 (Hall...»...... 200 (Hall... 150 (Round Hall...»,. 120 t? tf ÎT ff tr f f 870 At the disposal of the delegations or the Press. Sails du Palace (with stage)... 750 seats. Hotel Miramar (1 hall)... Hotel du Palais (reception room) *... 300 250 " Grand Hotel (1 room)... 80 n Hotel Carlton (1 room)... 80 w Hotel He liant he (1 room)... 50 Hotel Continental(1 room)... 50 " Hotel Regina (1 room].... 50 n Hotel d Angleterre (1 room)... iuaison du tourisme (1 large room for 50 committees)... 150 At the disposal of the Secretariat. Villa Marbella Villa Mirasol Chalet Continental.
- 5 - SOCIETY 07 GOTEL TC3ZPERS, Lausanne-Ouchy. Lausanne, l.lay 15 th, 1931. Various organs of the foreign press having put forward, the name of Lausanne as a possible seat of the Disarmament Conference, our Society submitted to you on March 9th a detailed statement of the resources which our town could offer and of the exceptional conditions we should be prepared to make for the delegations. Should the Council of the League of Nations consider Geneva s proposals insufficient, we confirm our first coninunica- tion. We should also be prepared to accept any joint solutions which the Council might contemplate, and should be glad in this vray to be of service both to the League of Nations and to our Genevese fellow-countrymen. Hoping you will put forward our proposals to the Council, Ve have the honour etc., Society of Hotel Keepers of Lausanne-Ouchy. President,