The broadcasting activity of the International Committee of the Red Cross started sixteen years ago in a Europe which had been half destroyed by the war. It was in fact on May 2, 1945, that the first lists of names of French deported, to be liberated in Germany and who were returning home via Switzerland, were read out at Radio-Genève on the national Sottens programme.

The 12th of August 1949 is without doubt one of the most important dates in humanitarian law and in the development of the idea of the protection of man. It was then that four new Conventions were adopted in Geneva relative to the protection of victims of armed conflicts. In so far as they express general condemnation of war crimes committed during the Second World War, as well as the determination to prevent their recurrence in any possible sort of future conflict, the Geneva Conventions must be regarded as a bastion for the protection of all victims of armed conflict as well as a serious warning to all those who might be disposed to make a misuse of force or violate humanitarian principles. This great victory of the humanitarian spirit and of the principles which it inspires, by virtue of which one should not only avoid inflicting suffering on those who are deprived of protection or on non-combatants, but one should also accord them assistance and care for them if necessary, is due to a large extent to the Red Cross. The forces of progress have given their support to this idea and have made possible its realization within the framework of the International Conventions of the Red Cross. The new Geneva Conventions, which in the evolution of humanitarian law at present represent a decisive phase in a given sector, constitute an extremely solid and complete legal code which has been meticulously drawn up and which is both logical and coherent.

Visits to places of detention in France.—The official report of the ICRC on visits which were made in April and May to 19 places of detention and internment in France has been handed to the appropriate French authorities.

In order to give its support in the carrying out, within the framework of the Geneva Conventions, of all the humanitarian tasks which the circumstances demanded, the ICRC sent a delegate without delay to Tunis.