711.4112A/3
The Secretary of State to the British Ambassador (Howard)
Excellency: I have the honor to refer to our conversation of this morning and to transmit herewith for the consideration of your Government, and as a basis for negotiation, a draft of a proposed treaty of arbitration.1 The provisions of this draft operate to extend the policy of arbitration enunciated in the convention signed at Washington, April 4, 19082 (which expires by limitation on June 4, 1928), and explicitly record the desire of the two Governments to condemn war as an instrument of national policy in their mutual relations. The language of the draft is mutatis mutandis identical with that of the draft treaty which I yesterday transmitted to the French Ambassador for the consideration of his Government,3 except for the reservation at the end of Article II covering questions involving the interests of a self-governing Dominion of the British Empire. This clause was taken from Article I of the Knox Treaty concluded in 19114 but never coming into force.
1 feel that by adopting a treaty such as that suggested herein, we shall not only promote the friendly relations between the Peoples of our two countries, but also advance materially the cause of arbitration and the pacific settlement of international disputes. If your Government concurs in my views and is prepared to negotiate a treaty along the lines of that transmitted herewith, I shall be glad to enter at once upon such discussions as may be necessary.
Accept [etc.]