500.A15A4/837: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Acting Chairman of the American Delegation (Gibson)
6. On January 22 the British Ambassador left a memorandum,34 the substance of which I understand has been sent you by Atherton, recommending that the signatories of Part III of the London Naval Treaty enter the forthcoming Conference in agreement amongst themselves with respect to naval problems and offering certain specific suggestions as to a basis for agreement.
In view of Points 2 and 3 of the nine points in your speech tomorrow, I am informing the British Ambassador that, inasmuch as it appears desirable not to risk confusion and possible misunderstanding by discussing the problem concurrently at Washington and Geneva and since our delegation has full authority to deal with the question raised in the British communication, I am referring the entire matter to you.