500.A14/330: Telegram
The Chairman of the American Delegation ( Burton ) to the Secretary of State
[Received June 15—10:10 a.m.]
87. Your 63, June 13, 2 p.m.59 Final review of text of treaty will take place tomorrow and Tuesday and effort will be made to sign on Wednesday. As time of signature will follow immediately after the end of the discussion I trust that Department will promptly authorize signature provided of course no new or objectionable features are introduced into the treaty and provided further that a reasonable number of powers are also prepared to sign.
As there has been a general disposition to meet our views on all the points of importance the delegation has raised I do not anticipate any unfavorable developments prior to signature.
I sincerely trust that your authorization may reach me by Tuesday June 16th.
I must say that our readiness to sign may have a decided influence upon the attitude of other delegations and that our failure to sign here and now, unless we had some good and sufficient reason for withholding signature, and I know of no such reason, would tend to place largely upon our delegation a rather heavy responsibility for what might perhaps be interpreted as an inconclusive termination of this conference. It is further to be recalled that on our insistence and with a view to securing our signature and facilitating eventual ratification the whole machinery of the convention itself has been separated from the control of the League of Nations.
Latest modifications in text and indication of new material are being telegraphed separately.59