881.00/1385: Telegram

The Acting Secretary of State to the Ambassador in France ( Herrick )

76. Your undated telegram 67. Please refer to Department’s 290, October 20, 1923, 1 p.m. to London22 and Department’s 21, February 29, 3 p.m. to Madrid.

Please deliver the following memorandum in person at the Foreign Office as soon as possible:

“The Government of the United States has been interested to learn that representatives of the French, Spanish, British and Italian Governments will shortly meet in Paris to discuss Moroccan affairs with a view to reaching an agreement as to the future administration of Tangier.

“It will be recalled that prior to a similar Conference held in the autumn of 1923 by the French, Spanish and British Governments, [Page 372] this Government took occasion to remind the conferring Powers of its position as a party to the Act of Algeciras and that it stated that while it had no political interest in Morocco it had a fundamental interest in the maintenance of the Open Door and in the protection of the life, liberty and property of its citizens in Morocco. It further indicated that it presumed that nothing would be done by the conferring Powers to interfere with the principle of the Open Door or with the rights and interests of the United States.

“The views of the United States regarding Tangier which were further set forth in its correspondence with the French, Spanish and British Governments regarding the possibility of its adherence to the Statute of Tangier, remain unaltered. The Government of the United States would accordingly advise the Powers now about to confer that it makes full reservation of its position on any decisions taken by the Conference which may in any way affect or touch upon its rights and interests in Morocco and in Tangier.”

Please cable double priority when you have presented this memorandum as the Department intends to give its text to the Press.

Repeat your 67 and this telegram to London, Madrid and Rome for similar action by them and to Tangier for its information and mail copies of the Department’s 290 October 14, 1923 to Rome and Tangier for their files.

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