C.P.(Gen)Doc.1.Q.10.
Article 22
Point 2.—At the end of Point 2 after the words “has secured possession” a further sentence is to be inserted as follows:
“As an exception to the above principles, objects (including books, manuscripts and documents) of an artistic, historical, scientific (excluding equipment of an industrial character), educational or religious character which have been looted by the enemy occupying power, shall, so far as possible, be replaced by equivalent objects if they are not restored.”
A further paragraph is to be inserted under point 2 as follows:
“Hungary shall restore to Czechoslovakia the administrative documents now in her territory and at her disposal, all manuscripts, antiques and works of art, all scientific and library equipment which by their destination, origin, or character relate to Czechoslovak territory since January 1st, 1868, and that Hungary should have restored them under the terms of former agreements and has not done so up to the present.”
Point 4.—After the words “the search” add the words “by their own agencies”.
Point 6.—At the end of this point, after the words “of the present Treaty” add the following sentence: “Hungary is bound to satisfy the claim thus presented in the year following the receipt of the claim to this effect.”
Argument.
The principle laid down in the amendment to point 2 of Article 22 regarding the obligations to restore artistic, historical and certain other objects in genere has been recognised by the representatives of all the occupied states at the Reparations Conference and adopted by the Allied Control Commission in Berlin. It is just that Hungary should [Page 731] replace looted objects of cultural and historical value by things of her own.
The second paragraph proposed to point 2 refers to the restitution of objects which Hungary has wrongly retained on her territory and which are connected with Slovak territory by origin or tradition. During the second half of last century and the beginning of this century Hungary deliberately removed objects of historical and cultural value to Budapest. The obligation to return these objects was laid upon Hungary after the first World War, but Hungary did not fulfil it.
The addition to paragraph 4 is intended to enable the member of the United Nations concerned to obtain through his own agencies objects removed from his country.
The amendment to point 6 is based on the fact that point 6 of the draft Peace Treaty does not express Hungary’s obligation to comply in substance with demands received from the Allies. Without the insertion of this sentence Hungary would be able in practice to pass on every demand to the Conciliation Commission without being compelled to comply with demands falling under Article 22.