Office of the Historian

462.00 R 296/658c: Telegram

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

[Paraphrase]
Washington, October 11, 1924—6 p.m.

322. L–128, for Logan. Your L–232, October 9, 6 p.m.

(1) The Department has notified the Principal Allied Governments that you will represent the Government of the United States at the forthcoming conference, and Ambassadors Kellogg and Herrick have been instructed to give you copies of the communications made pursuant to the Department’s instructions. The Department believes that these communications take account of all the points raised in your helpful telegram.

[Page 63]

(2) The Department does not know whether the preliminary meeting will be held on October 14 as suggested by the British Government. In view of the complicated questions which are to be considered in connection with the distribution of annuities, it is Department’s opinion that the preliminary meetings may, perhaps at the outset, not only raise the major issues to be dealt with, but may also become the instrumentality by which some of these measures will be threshed out. Should this happen the Finance Ministers’ meeting, when it takes place, might do little more than to ratify the plans which have been worked out by representatives under instruction from their Governments. It seems to be desirable, therefore, that you should personally attend opening meeting which may conceivably lead to an issue in regard to question of American participation in the proposed payments.

(3) Referring to desire expressed paragraph 3 of your L–22956a that the Department send over to assist you someone who is familiar with these matters, the Department might find it possible to send someone later, in connection with the Finance Ministers’ conference, or, if necessary, in connection with the preliminary meetings, should the situation develop in such a manner as to render action of this sort advisable. Of course, it is obvious that no one could be sent in time for the first meeting, if that is held on October 14.

Referring to suggestion at end of your L–232 that you be authorized to designate one or more of your assistants, the Department does not know what persons you might properly designate to serve as this Government’s representatives at preliminary meetings.

(40 The Department would like your comments on the above points as soon as possible.

Hughes
  1. Not printed.↩