585.61B1/12
The Acting Secretary of State to the British Ambassador (Howard)
Excellency: I have the honor to refer to Your Excellency’s communication of December 21, 1929, inquiring whether in the opinion [Page 257] of the United States Government a report submitted by the President to the British Board of Trade on the subject of load line would form a suitable basis for international discussion.
This Government considers that an international meeting to discuss load line legislation will be desirable and believes that the proper course will be to have the British Committee’s report form the basis of an international discussion.
If an invitation to such a conference is contemplated, this Government will be pleased to be notified at the earliest possible moment, preferably by cable, in order that the authority to attend the conference, and later an appropriation to pay the expenses of a delegation thereto may be requested of the Congress.
Accept [etc.]