The Italian Ambassador to the Secretary of State.
Washington, D. C., , April 5, 1907 .
Mr. Secretary of State:
The reduction of armaments is one of the questions that will be brought before the forthcoming conference at The Hague. It figures in the programme of the United States, which thereby clothes it with special importance. The Government of the King of Italy takes no less interest in it. Now, according to an earlier declaration of the ambassador of Germany at Rome, the Imperial Government, while making no objection to the question being raised and discussed, would not allow its delegates to take a part in the discussion or in the vote that may follow, wishing to be free from any engagement on this point. This attitude was recently confirmed by Prince Billow to His Excellency Mr. Tittoni in a colloquy between the two statesmen at Rapallo, in the course of which the imperial chancellor explained to the Italian minister of foreign affairs that [Page 1105] Germany had no reason for opposing such a discussion, but could not assent to a solution that might be antagonistic to her interests.
The views of the Italian Government on the question of the reduction of armaments had already been disclosed to the Parliament. On June 14, 1906, at the chamber of deputies, Mr. Tittoni declared that he applauded the initiative taken by the British Government and gave the assurance that the Italian delegates would have seconded it, but he pointed out that it was impossible for this or that other power to adhere to partial disarmament if other States maintained theirs, and that it was difficult to find a concrete formula in which all could concur, and, therefore, likely that a generous initiative would still remain in the condition of vague aspiration. This forecast could not fail to become true if the forthcoming conference should presume to settle the question, abruptly and at one stroke, by a vote doomed to sterility, as soon as it lacked the adhesion of all the great powers. This is the reason why Mr. Tittoni, in the interest of a humanitarian cause, is of opinion that, in the absence of a positive and concrete formula in which all the powers would concur, it is expedient to rest content with an intermediate formula, acceptable to all, which will bring the question one more step, and, in all likelihood, a noteworthy step, nearer the solution it can not as yet attain. The British Government has declared that it was disposed to let the question, when once raised, be referred to a committee of the representatives of the great powers. If the English proposal should encounter difficulties, Mr. Tittoni, consistently with the views herein above presented, would have the Italian delegates propose the following:
1. That the question of the reduction of armaments, though not included in the Russian programme, be allowed for discussion by the conference on the condition that the power or powers which desire to raise it give previous notice of their intention to all the participating Governments.
2. That the notice be not confined to general indications, but specify and define the concrete propositions which the power or powers believe will bring the question to a solution.
3. That these propositions shall be taken up only after the Russian programme shall have been discussed and exhausted, as warranted by its right of priority and the adhesion given to it by all the powers.
4. That upon the completion of the discussion of the propositions touching the reduction of armaments, the vote of the conference, if there should be occasion for one, would bear the following import:
If rejected, the conference does not deem the propositions worthy of being considered by the great powers.
If accepted, the conference commends the propositions to the consideration of the great powers.
5. That the propositions which the conference should see fit to commend to the consideration of the great powers be made the subject of direct discussion among them.
Prince Billow, to whom Mr. Tittoni imparted his intention to introduce the proposition as above condensed, by way of a basis for an understanding among the powers concerning the question under consideration, declared that the Imperial Government would have accepted it, regarding it as a practical modus procedendi apt to bring together the adhesion of all.
[Page 1106]I should be thankful to your excellency if you would kindly examine it and acquaint me, as soon as possible, with the opinion of the Government of the United States respecting it.
Be pleased to accept, etc.,