711.4112Anti-War/24: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Italy (Fletcher)
56. Your 40 April 27, 6 p.m.48 and 42 May 2, 11 a.m. I can see absolutely no need for submitting to a formal conference of jurists the question of compatibility between my proposed anti-war treaty and the League Covenant, the Treaties of Locarno, et cetera, and I hope that no such conference is called. A preliminary meeting of Foreign Secretaries is, in my opinion, equally unnecessary and undesirable. I cannot understand the basis for the report from the British Ambassador at Washington to which reference is made in the British memorandum. I have never indicated that I would attend a meeting of Foreign Secretaries to discuss the anti-war treaty. The position of the United States is clearly set forth in its notes and in the draft treaty it has proposed. The position of Germany is no less clearly indicated in its unqualified acceptance of the American proposal. If the United States and Germany can determine their respective positions on this important subject without an international conference, I can see no reason why the British, French, Italian and Japanese Governments cannot do likewise.
- Not printed.↩