411.12/971: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Chargé in Mexico (Johnson)
Washington, August 26,
1929—4 p.m.
456. Department’s No. 455, August 26, 11 a.m. Mexican Ambassador called this morning.
[Page 454]- 1.
- He delivered note dated August 2325 submitting list of nineteen names as candidates for presiding commissioner of Special and General Claims Commissions. Of names submitted, five are Argentines, two Chileans, two Colombians, two Costa Ricans, one Dominican, two Guatemalans, two Panamans, two Paraguayans and one Salvadorean. Department is making inquiries regarding these candidates and is sending you a copy of Tellez’s note.
- 2.
- Tellez said that there had been a misunderstanding about the place of signature of the Convention extending the duration of the General Claims Commission. We informed him that we were telegraphing you full powders to sign the Convention. We also told him that we would send him a note tomorrow signed by the Secretary in accordance with your 306 and our 43526 and that we had instructed you to deliver a similar note to Estrada at the time of signing.
- 3.
- The Mexican Ambassador stated that he had been instructed by Mr. Estrada to request us to deliver a note similar to the note which we sent at the time the Convention was signed extending the life of the Special Claims Commission on August 17, 1929.27 Tellez said that the Mexican Government would like to have us undertake to discuss rules of procedure. We explained to him that we were at all times ready to discuss rules of procedure provided this were in harmony with the respective claims conventions and that therefore to make such an undertaking in writing seemed to be immaterial. We said however that if the Ambassador would be gratified by our taking such action we would be glad to comply with his wishes. The Ambassador suggested that we incorporate the provisions of this note in the note which we propose to send him tomorrow. We objected to this, feeling that inasmuch as the note relating to Article 9 of the Claims Commission has been approved by Senator Borah,28 Mr. Montes de Oca and Mr. Estrada, it would be unwise to change the contents thereof. We suggested that Tellez write us a note requesting that we undertake to discuss such rules of procedure as might be covered by the General Claims Convention. He assented to this.
Stimson