500.A4d/107
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Germany ( Schurman )
Sir: Receipt is acknowledged of your No. 589 of December 23, 1925, enclosing an original communication from the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Germany to the Secretary of State of the United States, which you state contains the adherence of Germany to the Washington Treaty Relating to Principles and Policies Concerning China, and reporting the statement made to you by Mr. Trautmann that “Germany, having now adhered to the Washington Treaty, would naturally take part hereafter with the other Powers in any Conferences that might be held in respect of China”.
An examination of the communication of the Minister for Foreign Affairs discloses that the notice of Germany’s adherence is made [Page 1004] “subject to ratifications”; the language of the Minister, in translation, being as follows:
“On the strength of a full power given to me by the President of the Reich, I hereby declare that Germany, subject to ratification, adheres to the said Treaty”.
It is presumed that by this is meant that the declaration of adherence must receive the approval of the German national legislative bodies, in which case it would seem that the note does not constitute that complete adherence on the part of Germany which would warrant the Government of the United States in giving formal notification to the other signatory governments that Germany had adhered. You will please ascertain from Mr. Trautmann whether this presumption is correct.
I am [etc.]