793.94Commission/491a: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Minister in Switzerland (Wilson)
87. Department’s 86, March 11, 8 p.m., and your 146, March 12, 4 p.m.40 Department will release text of Drummond’s letter of February 25 to Secretary and Secretary’s letter of March 11 to Drummond for publication everywhere at 9 o’clock Eastern Standard Time, Tuesday, March 14.
At the same time Department is making public an explanatory statement which reads as follows: [Page 119]
“The Advisory Committee created by the Assembly of the League of Nations for “the purpose of following the situation in the Far East has extended to the Government of the United States an invitation to cooperate in the work of the Committee.
This Advisory Committee consists of the members of the Committee of Nineteen and representatives of Canada and The Netherlands.
The promotion of peace, in no matter what part of the world, is of concern to all nations. It has been and is the desire of the American people to participate in efforts directed toward that end. In this spirit we have in the past established the practice of cooperation and observation without direct participation. We therefore gladly accept this invitation of the Advisory Committee that we cooperate with it in the work assigned to it by the Assembly. As a practical measure toward facilitating effective cooperation, we suggest, in our reply to this invitation, that a representative of the United States be present, without right to vote, in the deliberations of the Committee. This procedure, if adopted, will not give to the representative of this Government a position of membership on the Committee. Presence of the United States in this manner in the meetings of the Committee will give an informative contact. It does not in any way impair the right of independence of judgment and freedom of action of the United States. The representative of the United States cannot take any action binding this country. We believe that the importance of the problem which is of common concern in this connection to the League, to the League Powers and to the United States, calls for promptness and accuracy in exchange of information and views; that the dictates of common sense call for consultation with free and frank discussion among the nations; and that the procedure thus suggested will contribute toward the serving of those ends—in the interest both of the United States and of all other countries concerned.”
- Latter not printed.↩