711.5112France/197: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Great Britain ( Houghton )
53. Your No. 42, March 3, 1 p.m. As you will notice, the first resolution passed is substantially in language of Briand proposal condemning war as instrument of national policy. This includes, naturally, everything in other resolution which was passed last. As originally framed and presented to plenary session of the Conference by the Mexican delegate, this resolution against aggression contained in article I the word “war” so that the resolution would read: “All war of aggression is considered illicit and as such is declared prohibited.” Señor Guerrero13 moved that it be amended by striking out “war of”, so that as passed the resolution reads: “All aggression is considered illicit and as such is declared prohibited.” I understand that Guerrero explained that there were acts of aggression which stopped short of war, and that he wished to declare against those. First resolution passed would not only include war, naturally, but acts of aggression which, as you state in your telegram, might result in war. At all events, the resolution which the committee reported and which was unanimously passed condemned all war as an instrument of national policy, and it is significant fact that of the countries voting for this resolution 17 were also members of the League of Nations.
- Gustavo Guerrero, chairman of the Salvadoran delegation to the Sixth International Conference of American States at Habana.↩