711.6512/55
The Secretary of State to the Italian Ambassador (De Martina)
Excellency: I have the honor to refer to your note of September 30, 1930, in which you discuss the draft submitted by this Government, as a result of a previous suggestion made by you, for the alteration of the treaty for the advancement of peace signed by the United States and Italy on May 5, 1914.
The proposals stated in your note of September 30, 1930, have been carefully examined and are in considerable part acceptable to this Government.
I am very glad to concur in your proposal that three of the members of the international commission shall be designated by the two parties by common consent. I have no objection, moreover, to the provision that either party may revoke the appointment of a member chosen by it and appoint his successor at any time when there is no case before the commission.
I am not able, however, to concur in the provision that either party may withdraw its consent to the designation of members of the commission which have been designated by the two parties acting jointly. I feel that the revocation of such designations should occur only by common agreement between the two parties.
[Page 616]The additional details included in the draft which you have submitted seem to me unobjectionable with the exception of those which relate to expenses, especially the fixing by the respective parties of the allowances to be paid to the members of the commission appointed by them. I feel that there is no strong reason why the compensation of all the commissioners should not be the subject of mutual agreement as it is in the treaty of May 5, 1914. On the question of compensation, I prefer, therefore, that the provisions in Article II of that treaty should be continued.
I agree with you entirely that there is no need to specify that the required ratification by the respective parties shall be in accordance with their respective constitutional requirements. I am also glad, in view of the fact that signature is expected to take place at Washington, to have the ratifications exchanged at Rome.
There is enclosed a revised draft5 of the proposed treaty for amending the treaty of 1914. In this draft I have undertaken to include the various alterations requested by you as far as they are acceptable to this Government.
Accept [etc.]
- Not printed.↩