500.A15A4 Steering Committee/205: Telegram
The American Delegate (Wilson) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 1—11:20 a.m.]
470. The subcommittee upon manufacture of arms will begin a discussion on Monday36 of the licensing systems both for manufacture and for traffic in arms now in existence among the states members of the committee as a preliminary to making recommendations either for a uniform system of licenses adopted under control of the states themselves or for an international system under the control of the Permanent Disarmament Commission.
While it is presumed that the latter suggestion is not acceptable to the United States it would be most helpful if prior to the Monday meeting the delegation could be informed in general of license systems now prevailing both for manufacture and for traffic in arms under the auspices of the Federal Government or of the individual States. It is realized of course that details of any such systems will be difficult to collect in time to be of use at this meeting but it would be appreciated if some general outline thereof in particular as regards Federal regulation could be sent to the delegation for use in this connection.
- December 5.↩