500.A15/386: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Minister in Uruguay (Grant-Smith)
23. You are probably aware of the fact that Uruguay, not having been reelected to a seat in the Council of the League, has notified the President of the Preparatory Commission that Uruguay has withdrawn from participation in the work of the Commission.
The Uruguayan Minister in Switzerland, Señor Buero, has been the Uruguayan representative on the Preparatory Commission and has served as one of its vice presidents, having been nominated for that position by Gibson. Señor Buero has contributed to the Commission’s [Page 119] work and has shown a friendly and appreciative attitude toward the United States.
If you see no objection, I wish that you would orally and informally express to Uruguayan Minister for Foreign Affairs this Government’s regret that Preparatory Commission will no longer have benefit of cooperation of Uruguay’s delegation. You may add that this Government’s representation on Preparatory Commission deems loss of Buero as chairman of military subcommittee a most severe one, as, by his ability and personality he has shown himself to be a powerful influence for good in work of committee already accomplished.
I do not wish to make any suggestion which would embarrass the Government of Uruguay, if any strong feeling locally has been aroused by recent happenings at Geneva, but I should like to have you, at your discretion, express as purely personal the hope that cooperation of Government of Uruguay in work toward limitation of armament may again be counted on in future.
You are no doubt informed that membership in the Council or in the League of Nations itself is not necessary for participation in work of the Preparatory Commission. Germany was represented on the Commission before she had become a member of the League, and Spain is continuing her representation on the Commission since her resignation from the League. Our participation, of course, does not in any way involve political relations with the League of Nations.