711.5112France/243: Circular telegram

The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Great Britain (Houghton)20

[Paraphrase]

79. I am convinced that it is important that without further delay we submit to the British, German, Italian, and Japanese Governments, for the consideration and comment of those Governments, the correspondence which has been exchanged between this Government and that of France in regard to an anti-war treaty so that preliminary discussions may be undertaken for purpose of reaching a general agreement.

To this end I sent for the French Ambassador today and asked him informally to make inquiry for me from the French Government as follows:21

“In view of the exceedingly full and frank statement of the French position contained in your note of March 30, and of the position of the United States as expressed in its notes, and with the definite understanding that neither France nor the United States stands committed to any formula, but that both sincerely desire to cooperate with each other and with other Powers for the purpose of determining the possibility of reaching a general agreement on a form of treaty renouncing war, may I understand that the French Government is now agreeable to the submission of the entire correspondence in the first instance to the four Powers mentioned in my notes of January 11 and February 27 for their consideration and comment?”22

Above is for your information and discreet use.

Kellogg
  1. The same telegram was sent to the Embassies in France (No. 97), Germany (No. 33), Japan (No. 34), and Italy (No. 35).
  2. Quoted portion not paraphrased.
  3. On April 7 the French Ambassador made an affirmative answer to the Secretary’s inquiry.