500.A15 a 1/251a
The Secretary of State to President Coolidge
My Dear Mr. President: First. I have given a great deal of thought to the question of the make-up of our delegation to Geneva. As you know, we have been faced by the alternatives of going through with the same type of representation we had at the preliminary conference, or of framing up a delegation somewhat along the lines of that at the Washington Conference in 1923. It appears that England is sending her First Lord of the Admiralty and Lord Cecil, who is a Cabinet Member without portfolio. Japan has made up a rather distinguished delegation, all of whom are naval officers or ex-naval officers. Saito, the head of the Delegation, was at one time Minister of Marines. So far as Japan is concerned, there is ample reason for sending men who can speak with final authority and make decisions on the ground. Her representatives would be so far away from the home base that they could hardly be expected to refer questions back to Tokyo as they arise from day to day. With us and with England it is, of course, otherwise. It goes without saying that in our case every important move in the course of the proceedings will be either dictated from or approved here.
I think we have all felt that Mr. Hughes has unique qualifications for the task. As a dominant figure in the Washington Conference, his appearance on this occasion might add considerably to the effectiveness of any proposals that we may make. However, we know he cannot go.
In these circumstances, without attempting to rehearse the arguments pro and con, I have concluded to recommend to you that we go ahead in the normal, businesslike way, refraining from any effort to produce an artificial impression by the selection of outstanding personalities. This would, of course, mean that Gibson head the delegation and the Navy would send very strong representatives including [Page 41] Admirals Jones, Long and Schofield, with assistants from the Navy, including Captain Andrews. Allen Dulles, formerly of the Department, will go as legal adviser. If you approve of this course, I think very soon the complete delegation should be announced by you.
Second. I have, of course, considered carefully the suggestion you made about Mr. Mellon, Senator Swanson and myself. I am a little afraid it would look like overloading the delegation and make it appear to the other countries that we were overanxious to have an agreement. We are anxious to have an agreement and I think it is important to us that we should, if we can get one, but we are in a rather independent position owing to the fact that we can accept as low a basis as any other country. I will not discuss the various questions as I wish to present to you the complete program which we expect to finish this week. So far as I am concerned personally, I am entirely at your disposal. If I thought it would really do any good by tending to assure the ultimate success of the Conference, I should not hesitate to advise you to instruct me to go. My only anxiety in this matter is for you to get an agreement, which I believe will redound very greatly to the credit of your Administration. Naturally the proceedings may develop at Geneva in such a way as to render it advisable for the Secretary of State to appear later on. If an emergency should arise in which my attendance would clear up a sudden complication and save the conference from failure, I should say by all means that the step would clearly be justified.
Third. The third alternative is that someone be sent with Mr. Gibson. I have no doubt you have explored this situation thoroughly. On this I make the following suggestions: (a) if it was deemed wise to give Admiral Jones additional prestige, he could be made a co-delegate with Mr. Gibson. He is a level-headed man and I think very liberal and is anxious to have an agreement; (b) if any civilian is selected outside of the Senate, the only recommendations I can think of are ex-Senator Underwood and Honorable John W. Davis; (c) if Senators are selected, the natural thing would be to send two—a Republican and a Democrat—and they would ordinarily be the Chairman and ranking member of the Foreign Relations Committee or the Chairman and ranking member of the Naval Committee or the Republican and Democratic leaders in the Senate. You know this situation better than I do so I do not think I need to discuss it.
Some of the Navy officials and Mr. Gibson will sail a week from tomorrow, June fourth, in order to be over there quite a while in advance to discuss the preliminary organization and program with the other delegates. Anybody else whom you desire to send would have ample time by leaving two weeks from tomorrow.
Faithfully yours,
P. S. I have not, of course, talked with Borah and Swanson38 on this subject, the only men who are available. If you consider taking any Senator, of course I believe it would be a very good plan to talk with them.
- Senators William E. Borah and Claude Swanson, chairman and ranking minority member, respectively, of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations.↩