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  4. Document 774

711.6712A/6: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Turkey ( Grew )

[Paraphrase]
Washington , April 13, 1928—6 p.m.

37. Department’s No. 27, March 27, 6 p.m., and your No. 33, March 26, 11 a.m.

1.
As Turkey is only one among a number of countries with which this Government proposes to negotiate arbitration and conciliation treaties, the Department has decided that consultation with Senate leaders is not necessary.
2.
In the latter part of next week, therefore, I intend to hand the proposed texts of the two treaties to the Turkish Ambassador. Exact date will be fixed when you telegraph me the day upon which you will see Minister for Foreign Affairs at Angora.
3.
Please inform Minister for Foreign Affairs that the Secretary of State is handing the Turkish Ambassador proposed texts of the arbitration and conciliation treaties. You may explain to him the general nature of these treaties. In this connection possibly you will think worth while to refer to the Minister’s well-known idealistic approach to problems of international relations.
4.
You may also inform the Minister of the action this Government is taking on the multilateral treaty for the renunciation of war as outlined in Department’s No. 36, April 12, 6 p.m.
5.
In your interview with the Minister you should also broach subject of renewal of the commercial modus vivendi set forth in second of the two notes exchanged on February 17, 1927,6 for further term from May 20, 1928, to April 10, 1929, at least. Unless you have already done so, you will verify carefully your interpretation of words “for a period not exceeding two years”, which are found in article I of the law of April 10, 1927. Also you should bear in mind in this connection that the Allied commercial convention terminates on August 6, 1929.7 Modus vivendi set forth in paragraph 3 of first note exchanged on February 17, 1927, between Admiral Bristol and Tewfik Roushdy Bey8 would not appear to require any specific renewal.
6.
In regard to manner of presenting matters referred to in paragraph immediately preceding, Department reposes entire confidence in your discretion; it does not wish to hamper your freedom of action by attempting to give you instructions in detail.
7.
The following considerations are set forth, however, to assist you:
(a)
Adjournment of Congress will take place in less than two months’ time, and legislative program is already very crowded.
(b)
With the presidential election coming in November, interest of both general public and Government officials is concentrating rapidly upon questions of domestic politics.
(c)
It follows that resubmission of treaty of August 6, 1923,9 to Senate would seem to be distinctly inadvisable.
(d)
The relations between this country and Turkey which were established by the notes of February 17, 1927, have been entirely satisfactory to both countries.
(e)
The diplomatic relations which exist between the United States and Turkey are instrument of great potentiality in bringing them more closely together and in effecting a thorough understanding between them.
(f)
Good effects of Mouhtar Bey’s presence in this country and of your presence in Turkey have already become evident and in time will become even more evident.
Kellogg
  1. Foreign Relations, 1927, vol. iii, pp. 797–798.↩
  2. For text of commercial convention, see League of Nations Treaty Series, vol. xxxviii, p. 171.↩
  3. Foreign Relations, 1927, vol. iii, pp. 794–796.↩
  4. Ibid., 1923, vol. ii, p. 1153.↩