462.00 R 296/637: Telegram

The Chargé in France (Whitehouse) to the Secretary of State

[Paraphrase]

434. L–232, from Logan.

(1)
I wish to suggest to the Department advisability of notifying immediately Great Britain, Belgium, France, and Italy of our acceptance of invitation extended at London Conference to be present [Page 60] at proposed financial conference, and of my designation as representative of the Government of the United States at this conference.
(2)
Reason for suggestion is twofold:
(a)
Kellogg advises me of receipt of letter from Sir Eyre Crowe50 stating that British Government would be glad to have us represented by an observer during meetings of the small subordinate committee of Allied financial experts charged with making a preliminary inquiry into points later to be definitely decided by a financial conference, and with fixing agenda for such a conference. Sir Eyre Crowe states that this committee will be convened on October 14 at Paris.
Crowe’s letter made definite reserve that British Government did not accept our point of view regarding our participation in all-inclusive Dawes annuity, as Ambassador Kellogg had outlined it at London Conference on August 12. I may here state my own view that it appears to me questionable whether the British Government is proper party to extend invitation to us to be present at conference in Paris, and I am fearful lest the Crowe example of making reservations be contagious. Following precedents, invitation should come from France. I do not think, moreover, that we should risk waiting for an invitation which makes reserves and to that extent places handicaps on us at the outset.
(b)
My second reason is that, in fact, we have already been invited to the conference. By referring to minutes of London Conference for afternoon of August 1251 you will observe that French agreed to amend their resolution to include the “Associated Powers” and that the conference agreed that resolution should be referred to the “Allied Finance Ministers and the American representative.” Kellogg was formally advised of the resolution, and first meeting of the Finance Ministers and the American representative was actually called for 11 o’clock, August 14, to meet in the office of the Chancellor of the Exchequer.
I was invited to attend this meeting, and my name appears on list of those expected to be present. The meeting was canceled because of complications which arose in connection with the general conference, and two days later the whole conference adjourned.
(3)
For these reasons I feel that we have every technical basis for assumption that we have been asked to participate in this conference which is merely continuation of the meeting called in London and the carrying out of the action referred to in London protocol (paragraph E, article 4 of annex III). From point of view of policy I deem it highly undesirable to wait until we receive invitations which [Page 61] may be so laden with reserves that our hands will be tied in advance and [garbled group]. I urge Department’s prompt action on this recommendation so that we may forestall creation of a position still more difficult than that which is actually facing us. Sir Eyre Crowe’s letter, as I understand it, only reserves British position at the small and relatively unimportant preliminary committee meeting to which we are invited to send an “observer.” I suggest that effect of this letter be circumvented in your cable designating me as representative at the financial conference by a statement that I have been authorized to designate one or more of my assistants to attend meetings of such committees as may be created in connection with work of finance conference.

Repeating telegram to London. Logan.

Whitehouse
  1. Telegram in three sections.
  2. Not printed.
  3. Great Britain, Cmd. 2270, Miscellaneous No. 17 (1924), p. 70.