500.A15 Arms Truce/74: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Chargé in Switzerland (Greene)
144. Your despatch 2268, October 3.75 Please transmit the following note to the Secretary General of the League of Nations in the usual informal manner:
“The Secretary of State presents his compliments to the Secretary General of the League of Nations, and with reference to the latter’s note of October 2 with regard to an armaments truce proposed by the Assembly, has the honor to make the following declaration:
‘The Government of the United States has received the resolution of the Council of the League of Nations of September 30, 1931, suggesting an armaments truce and declares that, without prejudicing its position at the forthcoming General Disarmament Conference or affecting any proposal it may desire to submit to that Conference, it is prepared, for the period of 1 year beginning November 1, 1931, to accept the truce, provided that like action is taken by the other principal military and naval powers.
It is the understanding of this Government that the proposed truce shall not apply to construction which had been begun or for which contracts had been let prior to its entry into force.
The Government of the United States hopes that by a unanimous acceptance of this truce an atmosphere of confidence will be created which will prevent competition in armaments and prepare the ground for the successful conclusion of the General Disarmament Conference.’”
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