2.7.3
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COPY.
Societe des Nations.
GENEVA.
569
League of Nations.
20th February, 1922.
My dear Sir Malcolm,
You will doubtless remember that during the last Assembly it
was tentatively arranged that Hr. Wessels - an opium expert from Holland
would be secured to prepare the material for the second Session of the
Opium Committee if the services of a special man were required for that
work. In view of the fact that Dr. Yen is not returning until late in the
Spring, it now seems quite necessary to secure someone for this prepara-
tory work. I wrote accordingly to Mr. Van Wettum about getting Hr.
Wessels on here, but Hr. van Wettum's reply came in this morning saying
that on account of sickness it was impossible for Mr. Wessels to come to
Geneva and take on the work which we expected him to do. Mr. van Wettum
Baid, too, that he did not know of anyone capable of taking Mr. Wessels place and he suggested that I might approach you about securing someone.
I remember that in one of your recent letters you spoke of the possibility of securing the co-operation of Consuls returned from the Far East for any special work on opium questions, and I hope very much t that you will be able to suggest someone who can do this expert work during the next two months. You know the type of man required and the work to be done much better than I do, but I will drop down a few points which
occur to me in this connection:
The expert should be prepared to assist the Secretary to the Committee in preparing the material received from the various Governments for the April Meeting, 1.8. replies to the questionnaire, reples concerning the Importation Certificates, etc. He would, I think, work largely independently of the Secretary to the Committee in so far as the technical work is concerned. The preparation of the material for the heating would consist as I see the situation in preparing summary reports on the various items on the Agenda and also in making an analytical study of this material from the legal and practical standpoints. The expert should, of course, have a good working knowledge of French as well as English, and a
I think that knowledge of other languages might also be of assistance.
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we should have someone who would be prepared to start work in Geneva early in March and who would plan to stay here for at least six weeks - and probably two months. If everything went well I believe he would be of the greatest service in assisting the Secretary of the Committee during the
I trust,
Meeting in April and also in winding up affairs afterwards, therefore, that the man chosen will envisage this also in his two months' programme. In the case of Hr. Wesselo, it was understood that his salary
should be at rate of £70 per month, with travelling expenses in addition.
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