How successful was the work of the agencies and commissions of the League in the 1920s?
The League of Nations, established in 1920, was founded on the principle of international cooperation and aimed to prevent future wars. Alongside its political aims, the League also housed various agencies and commissions with specific humanitarian and social mandates. This essay will evaluate the successes and limitations of these agencies, ultimately arguing that while they achieved notable progress in specific areas, their overall effectiveness was hampered by inherent weaknesses within the League's structure.

Successes of the Agencies and Commissions
One of the League's most enduring legacies is the International Labour Organisation (ILO). Established in 1919, the ILO sought to improve working conditions globally. The ILO's unique tripartite structure, representing governments, employers, and workers, allowed for a more collaborative approach to addressing labour issues. It successfully restricted the use of lead paint, convinced several nations to adopt the eight-hour workday, and campaigned against child labour. While these achievements fell short of universal adoption, they signified a crucial step toward international labour standards.
The League also made significant strides in combating slavery and human trafficking through the Slavery Commission. Established in 1922, the commission successfully pressured governments, particularly those administering mandated territories, to eradicate slavery. This pressure led to the abolition of slavery in countries like Afghanistan (1923), Iraq (1924), and Persia (1929), ultimately contributing to the liberation of over 200,000 slaves. The commission's efforts demonstrated the League's potential to effect tangible change in combating human rights abuses.
The Commission for Refugees, established in 1921, played a critical role in addressing the massive displacement caused by World War I. The commission facilitated the repatriation of over 425,000 prisoners of war within Russia and established refugee camps in Turkey, providing essential aid and preventing the spread of diseases. Furthermore, the creation of the Nansen passport provided a form of identification for stateless persons, highlighting the League's humanitarian efforts in addressing the plight of refugees.

Limitations and Challenges
Despite these notable achievements, the League's agencies and commissions faced significant limitations. The ILO, for instance, struggled to enforce its recommendations due to its reliance on voluntary compliance from member states. While it achieved success in specific areas, its broader goal of universal labour standards remained elusive. This lack of enforcement power plagued many of the League's initiatives, highlighting the limitations of an organisation dependent on consensus-building.
The League's efforts in disarmament also proved largely unsuccessful. The Disarmament Committee, established in 1926, aimed to build upon the earlier Washington Naval Conference but ultimately failed to achieve its objectives. The lack of trust among major powers, particularly France's reluctance to disarm, hampered any meaningful progress. This failure underscored the League's inability to address the core issue of international security, a weakness that would ultimately contribute to its downfall.
The Mandate Commission, while tasked with overseeing the administration of mandated territories, was often criticized for its lack of real power. The commission relied heavily on reports from the mandatory powers themselves, raising concerns about bias and the potential for exploitation. The lack of an independent monitoring mechanism undermined the League's ability to ensure the well-being of those living under mandate rule.

Conclusion
In conclusion, the agencies and commissions of the League of Nations achieved some notable successes during the 1920s, particularly in the fields of labour standards, combating slavery, and aiding refugees. However, their overall effectiveness was hampered by inherent weaknesses within the League's structure. The lack of enforcement power, dependence on consensus, and limitations in addressing core security concerns ultimately hindered their broader goals. While the League's legacy remains a subject of debate, the work of its agencies and commissions serves as a testament to the potential, but also the challenges, of international cooperation in addressing global issues.

Sources
Carole Fink, ‘The minorities question at the Paris Peace Conference, 1919', in Manfred F. Boemeke, Gerald D. Feldman and Elisabeth Glaser, eds., The Treaty of Versailles: A Reassessment after 75 Years (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1998)
Peter Gatrell, ‘A European Awash with Refugees: The Failure of Interwar Internationalism?’, Journal of Contemporary History, Vol. 35, No. 4, The League of Nations in Retrospect (Oct., 2000)
David Stevenson, The Origins of the First World War (London: Pearson, 2004)