500.A15a4/24: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Minister in Switzerland (Wilson)
8. Your double priority No. 10, January 18, 4 p.m. You may use the following memorandum and a summary of my note to the British Ambassador in answering the questions contained in your telegram. I have today discussed the matter along these lines with the French Ambassador.
I have taken no position for or against the nomination of any officers of the conference except that in the present situation we do not wish to be represented among such officers. Our reason for this is that we regard all the proposals thus far made for the effective organization of the conference as inadequate to make the conference a success, and we have no interest in the conference unless it can be made a real step in the direction of disarmament. For the reasons which were contained in my message to the British Ambassador we believe that the only way it can be made a success is by prompt, direct conversations between the principal Versailles Treaty Powers whose agreement upon any proposed land disarmament is necessary for its adoption.
In view of the delay and difficulty in achieving agreement upon the much simpler proposition of Franco-Italian naval limitation our stand in this other matter can be readily understood.
We therefore propose to hold ourselves free from commitment in respect to the conference until we ascertain whether this initial, fundamental necessity of direct negotiation between the interested Powers is under way. We do this because we believe that the conference is so vitally important in the cause of world peace that we desire to see it properly founded and on the way to an eventual success.