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Danzig-Polish Post Office Dispute 1925

been replaced by the Agreement of April 18^th , 1923. Lastly, in Poland’s view, Art. 168 of the Warsaw Agreement contained solutions which were binding on the Parties.

On January  5^th  the Polish postal service proceeded to set up in the streets of Danzig a number of letter boxes bearing Polish inscriptions.The various diplomatic and other incidents which may have followed this step are outside the scope of the Court’s jurisdiction.

On the following day, January  6^th (sometimes the date January  7^th  is given), the Senate of the Free City submitted to The High Commissioner a reasoned application for a decision to the following effect: 1, that, by decisions having the force of resjudicata the Polish postal service was strictly confined to the one office on the Heveliusplatz and, in particular, did not extend to the employment of letter boxes and postmen outside this office; 2, that this service was restricted to the transport of the mails of the Polish authorities in the territory of Danzig to or from this office; 3, that the status quo ante January  5^th  , 1925, should be restored .

In his reasoned opinion on the application made by Danzig on January 6/7. 1925, the Polish Commissioner General requested the High Commissioner to give a decision to the following effect: 1, that Poland was entitled to inaugurate at the Heveliusplatz a complete postal service including the use of letter boxes and postmen within the territorial sphere of action of that service;  2, that the extent of this sphere of action vas as indicated on the plan annexed to the High Commissioner’s decision of August 15, 1921.

It should be observed that the High Commissioner thus found himself confronted with the question of the definition of the port of Danzig, and. should be adopt a territorial definition, also with that of the limits of the port from the standpoint of the postal service. it should also be noted that, for the first time, he was asked to give a decision regarding the interpretation of Arts. 149—151 of the Warsaw Agreement.

The High Commissioner, on February 2^nd , gave a decision which was in the main favorable  to the contentions of Danzig. The  operative portion of this decision is as follows:

(a) The. post, telegraph and telephone service which the Polish (Government  has the right to establish under Arts. 29 and 30

Danzig-Polish Post Office Dispute, Seite 15.