500.A15/876: Telegram
The Chairman of the American Delegation ( Gibson ) to the Secretary of State
[Received April 16—8:35 p.m.]
4. Every indication points to proposal by Bernstorff, within next day or two, that special committee of the five principal naval powers be established to seek agreement as to methods as to naval reduction and limitation. Bernstorff’s justification for this unusual course is that naval problem is principal obstruction in entire disarmament problem and that no progress is possible until it has been disposed of; he justifies limiting it to the five naval powers on ground that it is of vital concern to them alone.
Unless I shall be instructed to the contrary, I intend to say that if it is proposed to deal with all principal problems which are still to be solved, such as question of trained reserves, material in stock, budgetary limitation, supervision and control, military aviation, et cetera, we shall, of course, not have any objection to having naval question dealt with in similar manner; that we see no reason, however, for singling out naval problem for special treatment; and that furthermore it would not seem to be at all in harmony with the consistent procedure of the Commission that the other countries interested in naval questions be excluded from the debates. As this question may arise at any moment, I should appreciate immediate instructions in event Department does not approve course outlined.