500.A15a4/59: Telegram
The Ambassador in Great Britain (Dawes) to the Secretary of State
[Received February 20—10:35 a.m.]
48. In my conversation with Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs yesterday he desired me to bring the following to your consideration:
The League Council fixed the date of meeting of the Disarmament Conference for February 2, 1932, at Geneva and instructed Secretary General meanwhile to make preparations. The Council decided to postpone to a later session question of appointment of chairman and Henderson stated that first necessary steps had thus been taken and he hoped these were decisions with which no one would disagree. Furthermore, he stated, much work lay ahead.
In what follows I quote in [from?] Henderson’s memorandum of our conversation made at my request.
“He referred to idea which you broached to British Ambassador in January that only effective means of preparation was consultation between the principal powers. He said that he fully recognized necessity for close cooperation and agreement between those powers which would be essential for success of Conference. In fact his greatest hopes were based on cooperation with United States Government, [Page 491] who, with His Majesty’s Government might exercise decisive influence at Conference. He was anxious to know whether he might expect any suggestions from you as to means of giving effect to your idea and would I know be grateful for any indication of your views on procedure”.
Repeated to Brussels.