500.A15A4/1278: Telegram
The Acting Chairman of the American Delegation (Gibson) to the Secretary of State
[Received July 10—12:25 p.m.]
320. Department’s 174, July 9, 3 p.m. We are happy to report that practically every point covered in your instructions had already been agreed upon yesterday in our negotiations with the British and insisted upon in our talks with the French. All your views have been embodied in the draft now in the hands of the British which they have accepted but which of course are still subject to negotiation with other delegations.
We entirely agree with your last suggestion concerning importance of pressing contingent character of naval reductions. Of course inter-dependence of armaments is already stressed in resolution and also fact that reduction should apply to all three types of armaments, we shall endeavor to secure specific adoption your suggestion in resolution and in any event we could include idea in identic letters to be sent to the Chairman of the Conference by the British and [Page 293] ourselves stating what we propose to do as regards naval negotiations. This letter as we now see it would be along the lines of Davis’ suggestion with the addition brought out in your cable. On reflection it has seemed better to us that this be set forth in the form of such identic letters rather than incorporated in a resolution for the Conference to pass on. The Conference might of course take note of this correspondence in the resolution.