861.77/747: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Japan (Morris)
The Department learns from the British Embassy here that the question has been raised at a meeting of the Inter-Allied Railway Committee and the Technical Committee [Board], as to whether the Committee decisions must be unanimous to be effective or whether a majority of both will be sufficient.
It has been reported that the only members of the Committee who insist upon unanimity were the Japanese and Chinese who state [Page 259] that they must refer to their committees [Governments?]. The following are arguments reported in favor of the majority vote:
- First: It may often be necessary to take immediate action. It can hardly be expected to obtain unanimity in all cases and if the majority cannot act the Committee will be powerless.
- Second: If unanimity is necessary the work might be held up indefinitely by one member; for example, difficulties might be made by the Chinese representative about the Chinese Eastern Railway.
- Third: There is really no danger in decision by majority for in questions of importance the Committee can only make recommendations and cannot commit the Governments concerned.
In this connection if the Japanese or Chinese Governments maintain the objection of their representative the effect would be that each individual representative would be able to block even measures of detail upon which the Committee as a whole had agreed.
You may point this out to the Government to which you are accredited and urge it most strongly to accept the procedure recommended by the majority of the Committee.
Repeat to Peking for information and action, and to Smith for his information.