500.C Covenant/65
Memorandum by the Chief of the Division of Western European Affairs (Marriner)
I handed Mr. Campbell, Counselor of the British Embassy, a memorandum in reply to a memorandum which the Ambassador left with the Secretary of State on May 22, 1930, on the subject of the amendments to the Covenant of the League of Nations, concerning unanimity of the majority of the requests for advisory opinions. I pointed out to him that the point of the memorandum was that any such alteration of the Covenant would change the conditions under which the reservations of the Senate to the Protocol of Signature of the Statute of the World Court were made and that this was our only observation in the matter, as we did not, under any circumstances, wish to interfere with any action the members of the League of Nations might care to take with respect to altering the Covenant. I told him that I felt that the matter should not be given undue publicity and that the United States would not, under any circumstances, wish to be put in the position of preventing the League from carrying out its wishes in the matter.
Mr. Campbell said he understood fully and would report the matter immediately to the Ambassador.