262     THE PARIS PEACE CONFERENCE, 1919, VOLUME V


France, Italy, Japan), each of which has two representatives, and
nine appointed respectively by the following Powers: Belgium, China,
Greece, Poland, Portugal, Roumania, Serbia, Tchecho-Slovak Re-
public, Uruguay.
The members of the Commission (which began its work on the 3rd
February, 1919) were at first unanimously of the opinion that, before
examining and drawing up special conditions to which specified rivers,
ports, or railways, should be submitted, it was desirable to lay down
the general principles relating to freedom of transit and rules for
the general regulation of all international waterways, all international
railways and free ports.
This method of procedure was specially recommended by the Brit-
ish Delegation. Its adoption led to the setting-up of two Sub-Com-
missions, one (consisting of ten members) charged with the duty
of drawing up a draft relating to freedom of transit, and the other
(consisting of nine members) with the duty of drawing up draft
regulations regarding rivers, ports, and railways.
The two Sub-Commissions carried on their work simultaneously,
and, after thorough discussions and a detailed examination by draft-
ing committees, were in a position to present drafts relating respec-
tively to freedom of transit and to international rivers.
After some weeks a change occurred in the original ideas, even on
the part of those who had up till then recommended or supported the
method of procedure adopted.
The members of the Commission were unanimously led to modify
the order of their procedure, as the result, in the first place of cer-
tain considerations brought out by a study of the drafts drawn up,
and in the second place by the invitation addressed to the Commis-
sion to formulate at the earliest possible moment proposals for clauses
to be inserted in the Preliminary Peace Treaty.
The Commission now offers for insertion in the Preliminary Peace
Treaty the clauses submitted herewith dealing with the general
regime of transportation, and particularly with certain ports, rail-
way lines, and river systems of Central Europe. Efforts have been
made to secure for the Allied and Associated Powers, in a text
as short as the complexity and multiplicity of the technical problems
permitted, the guarantees which in the judgment of the Commission
are necessary for the free exercise of their rights of equal competi-
tion-rights which before the war were encroached upon and menaced
by the constant practices of the enemy States.
Certain of these guarantees which, under existing conditions, are
indispensable to the economic security of the nations injured by the
war, may cease to be necessary as those conditions change. The
Commission unanimously proposes therefore that the League of Na-