411.12/946: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Mexico ( Morrow )
437. Department’s No. 435, August 7, 5 p.m. With reference to paragraph three of your 306, August 6, 7 p.m. it is our feeling that until we know definitely whether we are able to reach an en bloc settlement with Mexico with respect to claims it would be inadvisable to negotiate with respect to the appointment of a presiding commissioner of the Claims Commissions.
Pending such time it would not seem necessary for us to decide whether or not we would agree to accept a Latin American as presiding commissioner. When the Mexican Ambassador called at the Department he proposed under instructions from his Government that the presiding commissioner be appointed in accordance with the provisions of the Pan American Convention of Arbitration. We informed Tellez at the time that we felt it would be advisable to defer making decision on this point until the Conventions were actually extended.
In the meantime we are making inquiries regarding … whom you mentioned to Lane over the telephone this morning.