Jopy.
1286).
Telegram from the British Delegates at The Hague, te
January 9th, 1912.
402
{
1083
REG II JAN 12
Please see Articles 10 to 13 Convention A of Conference
drafts.
On our reassembling Germans informed us that their
Government could not accept these Articles as they stood,
since they involve a degree of uniform control impossible
under their constitution which leaves some of these matters
to individual States. They said they had overlooked the
extent to which State autonomy was affected when they assent-
ed to these Articles before Xmas.
They accordingly proposed a series of amendments which
would have invalidated the binding character of the articles.
After prolonged discussion with them we have pro-
visionally agreed to a recasting of the Articles, which
substitutes for definite words "will limit", "will require",
etc., the formula "will use their best endeavours", and
which provides as an alternative for the specific licensing
of