Papers relating to the foreign relations of the United States, 1931, Volume I

500.A15 Arms Truce/39: Telegram

The Minister in Switzerland (Wilson) to the Secretary of State

Geneva, September 24, 1931—10 p.m.
[Received September 24—8:45 p.m.]

162. At meeting of the Third Committee this afternoon Madariaga declared that while his Government was prepared to vote in favor of any proposal which the Committee would accept unanimously he would suggest as a more farsighted and elastic measure a proposal whereby the Assembly should recommend to all nations participating in the Disarmament Conference a 10 per cent budgetary reduction on armament expenditures covering the period of 1 year.

In view of our previous attitude on budgetary limitation⁶³ unless I receive instructions to the contrary I shall maintain entire reserve if this proposal takes the form of a resolution.

Wilson

63. For the attitude of the United States on budgetary limitation as expressed in the Preparatory Commission for the Disarmament Conference, see, for example, Foreign Relations, 1926, vol. i, pp. 94–95 and 97–98; and ibid., 1927, vol. i, pp. 172–173.