The League of Nations Plan of Assistance

Pal Chaudhuri, Jyotirmoy

doi:10.1007/978-3-319-70476-0_6

Jyotirmoy Pal Chaudhuri⁴

Part of the book series: African Histories and Modernities ((AHAM))

157 Accesses

Abstract

The League of Nations formed a committee on Liberia and sent some experts headed by Brunot of France to visit Liberia and submit concrete proposals that would solve the problems the country was suffering from. It was a strange situation in which there were quite a few stake holders each having an axe to grind. Britain was determined to handle the Liberian situation with a firm hand. The League was the vehicle they wanted to use to reach the target. The government of the USA, though not a member of the League, loved to call the shots and there was the looming presence of Firestone Company without whose approval nothing could be done because, through its subsidiary, the American Finance Corporation, Firestone controlled the economy of Liberia. Lastly, there was Edwin Barclay heading a government which was not formally recognised by the USA or Britain.

For about four years, various League committee plans buffeted like driftwood and in the end were abandoned. A variety of reasons caused it. Barclay thought the plans proposed were not at all consistent with the concept of sovereignty. Besides, if the plans were implemented, this would place a huge financial burden on a republic that could not bear it. The League plan died a lingering death.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution

eBook: USD 16.99; Price excludes VAT (USA)

Softcover Book: USD 109.00; Price excludes VAT (USA)

Hardcover Book: USD 109.00; Price excludes VAT (USA)

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Notes

1.
Henderson to Graham , 3.3.1931, in Papers Concerning Affairs in Liberia, London, (1934), p. 9, at times referred to as PCAL.
2.
Report of the Experts designated by the committee of the Council of the League of Nations appointed to study the problem raised by the Liberian Government’s request for assistance, in F.O. 371/15436.
3.
Report of the experts, in F.O. 371/15436.
4.
Report of the experts, in F.O. 371/15436.
5.
Report of the experts, in F.O. 371/15436.
6.
This, however, excluded Monrovia, which was an independent municipality.
7.
During that time, there were 215 justices of the peace in Liberia.
8.
Report of the experts, in F.O. 371/15436.
9.
Papers Concerning Affairs in Liberia, p. 79.
10.
Papers Concerning Affairs in Liberia, p. 80.
11.
Report of the Experts, in F.O. 371/15436.
12.
Observation on the Plan of the Experts, in F.O. 371/15436.
13.
Observation on the Plan of the Experts, in F.O. 371/15436.
14.
Ibid.
15.
Observations on the Plan of the Experts, p. 4.
16.
Lindsay to Simon, 16.6.1932, in F.O. 371/16135.
17.
Ibid.
18.
A detailed story of the situation on the Kru Coast has been made in Chapter VII.
19.
Fenwick, Charles G., International Law, New York (1952), Appendix A, p. 683.
20.
Fenwick, International Law, p. 126.
21.
War Office to F.O., 31.3.1933, in F.O. 371/17039.
22.
Admiralty to F.O., 10.2.1933, in F.O. 371/17040.
23.
Minute by Malkin, 19.3.1932, in F.O. 371/16132.
24.
Lord Lugard to Simon, 6.12.1931, in F.O. 371/15436.
25.
Robbins, Keith, Munich 1938, London, (1968), p. 23.
26.
Memorandum by Peterson of the F.O., in F.O. 371/16134.
27.
Schmokel, “The U.S. and Liberian Independence”, p. 326.
28.
Stimson to Mitchell, 18.6.1936, as quoted by Schmokel, “U.S. and the Crisis of Liberian Independence”, p. 326.
29.
Graham to F.O., 19.8.1932, in F.O. 371/16136.
30.
British Consul in Geneva to F.O., 22.8.1932, in F.O. 371/16137.
31.
Lindsay to F.O., 10.11.1932, in F.O. 371/16137.
32.
General Principles of the Plan of Assistance drawn up by the Committee, 27.9.1932, in F.O. 371/16137.
33.
U.S. Delegation to the Secretary, Liberia Committee, 15.11.1932 in F.O. 371/16138.
34.
Graham to F.O., 21.11.1932, in F.O. 371/16138.
35.
Joint Resolution Passed by the Legislature, 19.12.1932, in F.O. 371/16139.
36.
Memorandum by Lord Cecil on his talk with Reber, 30.12.1932, in F.O. 371/17039.
37.
Castle’s Memorandum on Liberian Affairs in Lindsay to Simon, 29.12.1932, in F.O. 371/17039.
38.
Lindsay to F.O., 24.1.1933, in F.O. 371/17039.
39.
Barclay to Lyle, 9.1.1933, in F.O. 371/17039.
40.
Lindsay to F.O., 24.1.1933, in F.O. 371/17039.
41.
Undated F.O. minutes on the Joint Resolution, in F.O. 371/16139.
42.
Minutes by M. Peterson, 27.12.1932, in British Legation, Monrovia to F.O., in F.O. 371/16139.
43.
Lord Cecil’s memorandum on talks with Reber, 30.12.1932, in F.O. 371/17039.
44.
F.O. Memorandum on Liberia, 12.9.1932, in F.O. 371/16136.
45.
Mackenzie to Cecil, 23.7.1932, in F.O. 371/16136.
46.
Greenwall and Wild , Unknown Liberia, p. 99.
47.
West Africa, 16.7.1938.
48.
Lindsay to Simon, 29.12.1932, in F.O. 371/17039.
49.
Cecil to Peterson, 19.1.1933, in F.O. 371/17039.
50.
Graham to Simon, 14.7.1932, in F.O. 371/16135.
51.
F.O. Minutes on Lindsay to F.O., 24.1.1933, in F.O. 371/17039.
52.
An article by Walter White published in The Crisis as quoted in Osborne to F.O., 29.9.1932, in F.O. 371/16137.
53.
The Liberian Patriot, 28.1.1933, quoting Howard W. Oxley, a white American who had formerly worked as an educational adviser in Liberia.
54.
Bixler, The Foreign Policy of the U.S., p. 107.
55.
Lindsay to F.O., 28.2.1933, in F.O. 371/17040.
56.
Routh to Simon, 12.5.1933, in F.O. 371/17041.
57.
Report of the Liberia Committee of the League Council, in Papers Concerning Affairs in Liberia, Appendix II, p. 81.
58.
Ibid., p. 91
59.
Ibid., p. 82.
60.
Routh to F.O., 9.9.1933, in Papers Concerning Affairs in Liberia, p. 37.
61.
Memorandum by the Liberian Representative, in Papers Concerning Affairs in Liberia, Annex I to Appendix II, p. 83.
62.
According to Liberian Memorandum, the salary of the government officials was already reduced because of the financial crisis.
63.
British Consul (Geneva) to F.O., 14.10.1933, in F.O. 371/17043.
64.
League of Nations Document No. C. 106. M. 38. 1934. VII, in F.O. 371/18040.
65.
League of Nations Document No. C. 202/1934/VII, in Papers Concerning Affairs in Liberia, p. 41.
66.
Minutes by Sir John Simon, 15.3.1934, in F.O. 371/18040.
67.
League of Nations Document No. C. 202/1934/VII, in Papers Concerning Affairs in Liberia, p. 46.
68.
Ibid., p. 46.
69.
Simon to Lindsay, 29.5.1934, in Papers Concerning Affairs in Liberia, p. 52.
70.
West Africa, 31.12.1932.
71.
West Africa, 21.10.1932.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Kolkata, India
Jyotirmoy Pal Chaudhuri

Authors

Jyotirmoy Pal Chaudhuri
View author publications
You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Pal Chaudhuri, J. (2018). The League of Nations Plan of Assistance. In: Whitehall and the Black Republic. African Histories and Modernities. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-70476-0_6

Download citation

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-70476-0_6
Published: 03 April 2018
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-70475-3
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-70476-0
eBook Packages: HistoryHistory (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics