500.A15 Arms Truce/60: Telegram
The Minister in Switzerland (Wilson) to the Secretary of State
[Received October 2—11:55 a.m.]
177. Your 133, October 1, 11 a.m. The authors of the two proposals (Italian and Scandinavian) were united on the point that construction already begun could be carried to its completion.
[Page 469]In the eighth meeting of the Third Committee on September 21 the Italian delegate said “vessels under construction could be continued and completed”.70 In the ninth meeting on September 22nd the Danish delegate said “the expression ‘not to increase the present level of armaments’ did not imply that work under consideration would be stopped”.71 Also see report in my 171, September 29, 11 a.m., in that portion dealing with Italian proposal point 2 reading as follows:
“Not to place any warship on the stocks provided always that vessels under construction might be continued and completed”.
[Paraphrase.] There are no minutes of the subcommittee in which the greater part of the debate took place, but at no time was there any doubt cast on the right of a state to complete construction already begun. Frequently it was stated that this right would be unaffected by any agreement reached. [End paraphrase.]