Office of the Historian

890g.01/101a: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Great Britain (Kellogg)

[Paraphrase]
Washington, October 21, 1924—7 p.m.

369. Department’s 368, October 21, 6 p.m.44 In connection with matters presented in that telegram you may find opportunity also to take up with the Foreign Office informally the situation which has developed because of the British procedure regarding the mandate for Mesopotamia.44a There is reported in the minutes of the Council of the League for the 30th session, held on September 27, the adoption of the draft decision which the British submitted to the League with the object of defining British responsibilities and rights in Iraq.45 The American Government was not consulted regarding this decision nor was informed of the proposed action.

You will recall the exchange of communications regarding Palestine and the view which we have held consistently that this Government has a right to be consulted regarding dispositions made with respect to territories under mandate. The resolution adopted by the League on the initiative of the British Government purports to deal with the capitulatory rights of foreigners in Iraq. It fails apparently to include provisions which might help to guard against improper monopolies and protect the principle of equality of opportunity in Iraq. I am at a loss to understand the action of the British Government in proceeding in this matter as outlined above without conferring with our Government, in view of our long correspondence with their Government [Page 231] regarding principles applicable to territories under mandate and of the statement made in the fourth paragraph of the British note of December 29, 1921, transmitted to the Department in Embassy’s No. 831 of December 30, 1921.46

As the Department has just received the documents in the case and has not yet had opportunity for a thorough study of the matter, it is not desired that you make representations in writing at this time. It would be helpful, however, to have any information which you can secure through oral inquiry. Possibly you may find it advisable to mention this matter in the conversation which you will have in connection with Department’s telegram 368.

Hughes
  1. Foreign Relations, 1924, vol. ii, p. 64.↩
  2. For text of draft mandate for Mesopotamia, see ibid., 1921, vol. i, p. 105.↩
  3. League of Nations, Official Journal, 5th year, No. 10, p. 1346.↩
  4. Foreign Relations, 1921, vol. ii, p. 115.↩