3 CONFERENCES AT PRAGUE AND BERGEN AND THE LOOMING WAR 249The executive committee meeting was told that in making the
grant, the trustees of the foundation had stressed their ‘interest in the
action’ which the conference was ‘exercising in the sphere of interna-
tional relations’ and had ‘testified to the importance’ they attached ‘to
the examination of current problems, and to finding the elements for
their solution which would make it possible to improve present relations
between nations and gradually dispel the difficulties that constitute a
menace to peace.’^29 The trustees had stated that they recognised that the
carrying out of a programme of research on an international scale faced
‘formidable’ obstacles given current circumstances, however, they had
also stated that they considered that ‘progress in this direction is essential
for the improvement of international relations.’ Importantly in terms of
the conference’s future, the trustees had expressed the hope that that the
ISC would make every effort to render the conference ‘more efficient’
and to assure ‘substantial results.’^30
Zimmern had attended the executive committee meeting. Following
the meeting, he remarked that the generous subvention of the
Rockefeller Foundation was a ‘new mark of confidence in the work of
the Conference’. At the same time, he also acknowledged the fact
that a ‘heavy responsibility’ had been imposed on it. It was no doubt
in order to reassure the foundation that its stated wishes in respect to
improved efficiency and the production of substantial results would be
realised, that Condliffe was appointed as the conference’s new general
rapporteur.^31
The heading under which members of the conference would conduct
their studies during its next study cycle as decided on in Paris in 1937
1939 was made up of two grants of $50,000 per annum. In addition, a grant of $25,000
was awarded to the ISC by the foundation in order to fund the work of a group of experts
on Danubian problems.
(^29) League of Nations, International Institute of Intellectual Co-operation, 1938 , 23–24.
(^30) International Studies Conference: Report on the 10th Meeting of the Executive
Committee held in Paris, Saturday, January 15, 1938, AG 1-IICI-K-XI-10, UA.
(^31) Rapport sur la XIème Réunion Administrative de la Conférence permanente des
hautes études internationales tenue à Prague le 26 Mai, 1938 par le rapporteur Sir Alfred
Zimmern, AG 1-IICI-K-XI-21, UA. For Condliffe’s appointment, see Bonnet’s letter of 27
November 1937, Conférence permanente des hautes études internationales: Les politiques
économiques et la paix, dossier général, du 1er juilliet 1937 au 1er juin 1938, AG 1-IICI-K-
I-22.a. Condliffe’s appointment was confirmed at the meeting of the ISC’s executive com-
mittee on January 15. International Studies Conference, 11th Session, Prague, May 23–27,
1938: Agenda of the Administrative Meeting, AG 1-IICI-K-XI-15.a, UA.