File No. 511.4A1/1447.
The Secretary of State to the Minister of the Netherlands.
Washington , April 18, 1914 .
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your note of January 27th last by which you inform me that the International Opium Convention has been signed by all the Governments but six and that, in accordance with the recommendation made in section 3 of the Final Protocol of the Second Opium Conference, you have been instructed by your Government to ask the Government of the United States to take such steps as may be necessary to be represented at the Third Conference to be held at The Hague in May next to consider whether the Convention can be put into operation.
In reply I have the pleasure to inform you that the Government of the United States will be represented in this Conference. The Government of the United States would, however, for reasons of preparation, prefer that the Conference should not meet on a day earlier than June 15 next, and the Minister of the United States at The Hague has been requested to ascertain informally whether it may not be feasible and agreeable to postpone the meeting of the Conference until that time.
Accept [etc.]