561.35E1/192

The Secretariat of the International Sugar Conference to the Secretary of State 2

1. The Executive Committee of the Monetary and Economic Conference held in London in 19333 authorised the President of the Economic Commission, M. H. Colijn, to take—in consultation with the President of the Conference, Mr. J. Ramsay MacDonald—all the necessary measures for the execution of the Economic Commission’s proposals.

The latter included a proposal for the organisation of a meeting with a view to the conclusion of an international agreement on sugar.

2. A preliminary meeting relating to the co-ordination of the production and marketing of sugar was accordingly held in London from March 5th to 10th, 1934,4 under the chairmanship of Lord Plymouth, Under-Secretary of State in the Colonial Office.

This meeting was obliged to suspend its work because at that time there was little chance of inducing the countries concerned to recommend the immediate convocation of a conference. It was decided, however, as stated in its final report, that a larger meeting should be convened as soon as circumstances appear to be favorable.

3. With the approval of Mr. J. Ramsay MacDonald, President of the Monetary and Economic Conference, M. H. Colijn, President of the Economic Commission, has now decided to convene a Conference to re-examine the possibility of concluding an international agreement with a view to improving the organisation of the production and marketing of sugar.

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4. The Government of the United States of America is accordingly invited to be represented at the said Conference to be held in London on April 5th next. The time and place will be communicated later.

5. This invitation has been sent to the following States:

  • Union of South Africa
  • Australia
  • Belgium
  • United Kingdom
  • Canada
  • China
  • Cuba
  • Czechoslovakia
  • France
  • Germany
  • Hungary
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan
  • Netherlands
  • Peru
  • Poland
  • Portugal
  • San Domingo
  • United States of America
  • Union of Soviet Socialist Republics
  • Yugoslavia

6. The Government of the United States of America is requested to be good enough to inform the secretariat of the International Sugar Conference (Economic Relations Section, League of Nations, Geneva) as soon as possible of the composition of the delegation appointed by it to take part in this Conference.

  1. League of Nations Circular Letter 29, 1937.II.B., transmitted to the Department by the Minister in Switzerland in his despatch No. 4795, L. N. No. 3515, February 5; received February 18.
  2. See Foreign Relations, 1933, vol. i, pp. 452 ff.
  3. See ibid., 1934, vol. i, pp. 664 ff.