File No. 763.72/8912a

The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Great Britain ( Page)3

[Telegram]

6557. Upon the return of the House mission from Europe, the conclusions of the munitions committee of the inter-Allied conference held in Paris in November, 1917, were submitted to the War Department [Page 560] for its consideration with the request by this Department that it be advised of the decision of the War Department respecting these resolutions so that this might be communicated by this Department to the Governments of Great Britain, France and Italy.

The Department is now in receipt of the following from the Secretary of War:

(1)
As the result of a careful consideration of the matter by this Department, it is requested that the Governments concerned be advised that the Government of the United States is in entire accord with the general principles of the resolutions adopted by the conference referred to, and that it will cooperate in carrying out, to as full extent as possible, the general program outlined by this conference.
(2)
The resolutions of the Paris conference contemplated that in case of the approval, by the Governments of the three great Powers concerned, of the general principles of the resolutions adopted by this conference, the precise measures of manufacture and supply should be concerted by a technical commission composed of representatives of these three Powers.
(3)
Upon the receipt, at an early date, from Generals Bliss and Pershing, of certain recommendations relative to the organization of this commission, this Department will advise you as to the tentative basis for this organization which is regarded as desirable, in order that this information may be communicated to the Governments concerned.

You will please formally advise the Government to which you are accredited in the sense of the foregoing. Repeat to Rome as No. 1075 and Paris as No. 3176.

Lansing
  1. See last paragraph for instruction to repeat to Rome and Paris.