574.D1/54: Telegram
The Ambassador in Italy (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
[Received 9:14 p.m.]
233. Your 89, May 10, 3 p.m.99 I am informed by Foreign Office Italian Government desires take part in International Conference on Communications to be held in Washington next August. Italian delegates will be the following unless subsequent changes are made, [Page 123] advice about which will be given: president of delegation, Senior Inspector Commendatore Enrico Mirabelli; Director and Chief of Office, Commendatore Giuseppe Geneone, representing Ministry of Posts and Telegraphs; Ministry of War representative, Lieutenant Colonel of Engineers Cavaliere Cesare Bardeloni; Ministry of Navy representative, Captain Cavaliere Giuseppe Raineri Biscia. Italian Government suggests that points on which delegates of various states might come together in entirely private way in a preliminary exchange of views might be as follows:
- (a)
- Examination of actual situation of the world telegraphic system and proposals for hastening the reopening of telegraphic lines, interrupted since the beginning of the war, in order to eliminate the serious delays which telegraphic correspondence suffers especially with the East and Far East.
- (b)
- Special examination of the telegraphic system of the Balkan Peninsula, of Asia Minor and of Southern Russia in order to arrange the [routes] which can be used for those countries.
- (c)
- Examination of the utilization of the radio telegraphic stations for use between state and state directly as an aid of the telegraphic lines by wire and cable.
- (d)
- Examination of the international telegraphic tariff and of the modifications which can be proposed in order to regulate the relations between great and small states, especially for those which [have] been recently formed and to favor relations with distant countries.
- (e)
- Establishment of the radio telegraphic tariff for telegrams exchanged by radio.
- (f)
- Examination of the simplification which might be adopted in the wording of telegrams regarding the language used and the taxation of such telegrams.
- (g)
- Examination of the rules of procedure for the radio telegraphic service already generally accepted by the administrations and better arrangement of the radio telegraphic service between ships.
Italian Government reserves to itself right of its delegates to bring up for discussion at aforesaid Conference, further questions regarding which all details are not yet to hand and in conclusion requests confirmation of date of opening of Conference so that Italian delegates can be in Washington on time.