857H.01/21½

Memorandum by the Secretary of State of a Conversation with the French Ambassador (Jusserand), June 21, 1924

[Extract]

The Ambassador submitted a draft of a treaty to prevent the smuggling of intoxicating liquors. He said that the French Government preferred Article I as it had appeared in the treaties with Norway, Sweden and Italy. The Secretary said that that was satisfactory. The Ambassador said that his Government proposed a modification in order to make more efficacious the provision for an agreement under Article IV, that is, it was proposed to insert a line to the effect that if the two persons selected to make the inquiry failed to agree there should be one other step before it went to the Permanent Court at the Hague, that is, that the two Governments should choose a third arbitrator and should go to the Hague if they were unable to agree upon a choice. The Secretary said that he would give the matter consideration.65

  1. The modification proposed was made in the treaty as signed.