861.00/6617: Telegram
The Chargé in Great Britain ( Wright ) to the Secretary of State
[Received March 24—12:56 p.m.]
495. Your 259 of March 12 was communicated in substance orally to an unofficial League of Nations representative on March 15. He [Page 454] said that he would endeavor to have withheld the invitation to the United States which the Council had already decided to extend. Nevertheless, this morning I received a communication from the League’s Secretary General which stated that at its Paris meeting, March 13, the Council had [apparent omission] to send the following telegram to the American Government, and asked that I forward it as soon as possible to Washington. I shall tell the representative of the League again about the views of the State Department. Tomorrow I shall give formal notice to the Secretary General of the League, unless instructed otherwise, that the telegram has been sent to the American Government.
The text of the message is as follows:11
“The Supreme Council of the Allies having requested the Council of the League of Nations to send a commission of investigation to Russia in order to obtain impartial and authoritative information regarding the conditions now prevailing in that country, the Council of the League has had the request under consideration. In view of fact that the present situation in Russia materially affects international relations it has been decided to constitute a commission to proceed to Russia as soon as possible for the purpose of obtaining impartial and authoritative information regarding the conditions prevailing there.
“The Council of the League has decided the guarantees which the commission should obtain from the Russian Soviet authorities.
“These are—complete liberty of travel, of communication, of investigation, and a guarantee of complete immunity from and of respect for the members of the commission and the inviolability of their correspondence, archives, and effects.
“The Council [of] the League will leave the commission to determine the best methods of obtaining the desired information but it hopes that special attention will be paid to the administrative, economic, financial, and transport problems and that it will not neglect general labor questions.
“In order that the advice of the commission may [apparent omission] the greater part of possible authority the Council of the League is anxious to secure the services of men of high standing and has been directed by the Council to invite a certain number of such men to form this commission, hoping, in spite of the importance of their present duties, they will not refuse to take part in a commission the results of which may so deeply affect the future.
“It is the hope of the Council that there may also be an eminent American, either acting as a member or as an associate of the commission. I have been directed to communicate this message to the Government of the United States of America and to inform you that the Council would welcome the nomination by the United States Government of an American citizen, either as a full member of the commission or to be associated with its work. As the departure of [Page 455] the commission is a matter of much urgency the Council would be glad to be informed as soon as possible of the decision of the United States Government.”
- Quotation which follows not paraphrased.↩