793.94 Advisory Committee/60: Telegram

The Minister in Switzerland (Wilson) to the Secretary of State

215. Your 125, October 13, 2 p.m.67 I discussed the matter informally with Frank Walters, Undersecretary General of the League, in the absence of Avenol. I find that the Secretariat is contemplating [Page 440] issuing a circular to apprise members of the League of the replies received to the proposal of the Advisory Committee, The circular will contain brief summaries of those replies and not copies of documents presented. Walters hopes he will be able to include something as to the attitude of the American Government in this circular and I am inclined to think that since we were specifically invited to reply our silence might cause comment. The circular offers us an innocuous method of procedure.

I have accordingly drafted a minute which, if it meets with your approval, I could arrange with Walters to accept as the League’s record of our position and so to be included in the circular. Such a statement of our position would not, of course, preclude our explaining our attitude with respect to narcotics, et cetera, at a later date if it then would seem desirable. Text of minute follows:

“The American Minister, Mr. Hugh Wilson, advised the Secretary General that the view of the American Government with regard to the principle of non-recognition remains unchanged and that, with certain exceptions, the American Government concurs in general in the conclusions arrived at by the Advisory Committee.”

Wilson
  1. Not printed; it approved the second paragraph of the Minister’s telegram No. 213, October 13, 11 a.m., p. 429.