711.6312Anti-War/7
The Chargé in Austria (Greene) to the Secretary of State
[Received September 15.]
Sir: I have the honor to acknowedge the receipt of the Department’s circular telegram of August 16, 11 p.m., 1928, with which was transmitted the text of the note to be dated August 27, 1928, informing the Austrian Government of the signing of the multilateral Anti-war Treaty in Paris and quoting the text of the Treaty, and to refer to my telegrams No. 39 of August 25, 10 a.m. and No. 40 of August 28, 11 a.m.,34 reporting that I had complied with [Page 169] the Department’s instructions and stating that the Austrian Government was ready to adhere to the Anti-war pact and that the question would be taken up at a meeting of the Cabinet Council on August 30.
I now have the honor to transmit herewith enclosed a copy and translation of a note dated August 30, received today from Dr. Seipel, Federal Chancellor and Minister of Foreign Affairs. This note, in acknowledging the receipt of my note of August 27, states that the Austrian Government at the meeting of the Cabinet Council yesterday August 30, decided to adhere to the Treaty and that it will submit the resolution to the National Council and the Bundesrat as soon as possible. As soon as the National Council and the Bundesrat, which meet in September, exact date as yet unannounced, have approved Austria’s adherence to the Treaty, the Austrian Minister in Washington will be appropriately instructed.
In connection with my presentation of the note, I have the honor to report that the Secretary’s telegram from Paris dated August 27, 3 p.m., was not delivered to the Legation until 8 p.m. I had of course informed the Foreign Office that I expected to deliver the note on August 27 immediately after receiving the Secretary’s telegram. Owing to the lateness of the hour, the Austrian Foreign Office informed me by telephone that they would prefer the note to be delivered on the morning of August 28. This I did, at the same time including in a second note, also dated August 27, a copy of the official French text of the Treaty, in compliance with the Department’s Instruction dated August 21 received from the American Embassy in Paris.35
The Austrian Foreign Office on the same day gave a translation of the note for publication, and this appeared in the afternoon editions of August 28. Secretary General Peter, acting for Dr. Seipel in the latter’s absence, informed me that the Federal Chancellor was most anxious to have the note published at the earliest possible moment, and acting under his instructions the Austrian Foreign Office insured its publication in the local press on the day the note was received.
I have [etc.]