763.72119/7349: Telegram

The Acting Secretary of State to the Commission to Negotiate Peace

3552. Your 4744, October 20, 12 noon.

Department feels that owing to the present political situation in this country, it would be most inadvisable for the President to send [Page 8] any letter of invitation for a first meeting of the Council of the League of Nations until the treaty has actually gone into effect by virtue of the deposit of ratifications of three of the principal Allied and Associated Powers.

Accordingly the President will issue an invitation in the following sense to the nations represented on the Council on the day on which the first procès-verbal is drawn up by the French Government.

[Here follows, with blanks for dates and countries, the text of the invitation as transmitted in telegram number 31, January 12, 1920, to the Ambassador in Great Britain, printed on page 9.]

It is felt that the first meeting of the Council should be held on the day after the Treaty goes into effect. Your views are requested on this point.

Phillips