711.4112Anti-War/54: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Great Britain (Houghton)
116. Your No. 101, May 9, noon. Although I have done all that I could to discourage idea of a conference of jurists, pointing out that [Page 58] in my opinion no such conference is at all either necessary or desirable, I have been careful to refrain from stating flatly that this Government would decline to be represented at such a conference. My feeling that a conference of jurists is both unnecessary and undesirable is as strong as ever, and I earnestly hope that no formal proposal looking to the convening of such a conference will come from any quarter. I am very doubtful if the United States would be willing to send a jurist to a preliminary conference of that nature. Of course, each Government is now consulting its legal advisers but, as you have said, the main question is not juridical but political and entirely for each Government to decide for itself.
I am greatly pleased to learn that Chamberlain is preparing his reply; from his description I gather that it will be favorable. Once more I wish to congratulate you on the admirable manner in which you have conducted the discussions with him.