551.5F1/23: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Minister in China (Johnson)

[Paraphrase]

57. After lengthy deliberation aside from the pending Pittman report, the Department on February 16 requested Dawes in London to learn the attitude of the Government there with regard to its sponsorship of an international conference on silver. I have two reasons for suggesting that the initiative be taken by the British Government: (1) silver is not being sold by the United States and its silver coinage is not being debased; (2) the price of silver is determined on the London market.

Stimson