500.A15a3/182: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Great Britain (Dawes)
Washington, September 19, 1929—8
p.m.
255. I have discussed your 276 with the President.
- 1.
- I assume that the “two propositions” about which you ask instructions are, first, our original minimum position stated with the approval of the General Board in our 242,68 paragraph 2, and second, the proposition of a further general cruiser reduction in both the American and British fleets contained in the President’s letter to me. If I am correct in that assumption the President and I would be very glad if, with your assistance, Mr. MacDonald could be brought to an agreement along the lines of the second proposition before his visit, and we have no objection whatever to your discussing that proposition with him. We appreciate the difficulties he may be under as suggested in your 276, but the reasons for a further reduction in both navies as stated in that letter are so cogent and the disappointment of what must otherwise be the cruiser agreement, in case such reduction can not be accomplished, will be so widespread both among Mr. MacDonald’s supporters and our own people that we hope he will attack it with the same courage that the President is willing to display on this side. Mr. MacDonald’s difficulties in forcing such a reduction upon his Admiralty will be no greater than our difficulties with big navy people here both in the navy and in Congress. If Mr. MacDonald should be unwilling to attack this second proposition before coming to America you should use your fullest endeavors to make clear to him that our figures on the first proposition represent the minimum which, in my opinion, can be obtained with the consent of our General Board. In other words, unless we are both willing [Page 250] to cut loose from our naval advisers and depend upon the support from the undoubtedly strong public opinion which exists behind us both for reduction it would be manifestly unfair and impossible for him to ask us to cut loose from our Naval Board while he himself clings to the support of his own.
- 2.
- In reference to your suggestion as to the delegates to the conference, while I appreciate the kindness of your suggestion it was our view that that matter had better be left unsettled until after the Prime Minister’s visit and for that reason in my modification of the proposed invitation I struck out the portion of the Prime Minister’s draft in which he proposed to repeat the organization of the Washington Conference. This will have the effect of leaving the matter open for the present and not crystallizing it in the invitation.
Stimson