500.A15A4/798: Telegram
The Acting Chairman of the American Delegation (Gibson) to the Secretary of State
[Received February 1—6:50 p.m.]
4. The immediate plans for the Conference as developed in conversations which I had today with Drummond and Henderson are for opening session tomorrow, Tuesday, 3:30 p.m., at which President will make opening declaration and will propose the setting up of three committees.
- 1.
- On credentials;
- 2.
- On rules and procedure;
- 3.
- On examination of petitions to the Conference;
The only one of importance being the last inasmuch as the committee will give hearings to the representatives of organizations from all countries now in Geneva and determine which of them are to be heard in plenary session. For this committee I suggested informally the name of Doctor Woolley and Mr. Henderson gladly acquiesced.
The next meeting will probably be held on Friday23 to receive the reports of the three committees set up which will be working in the interval. A further plenary will be held on Saturday to receive petitions passed by’ the committee.
Both Drummond and Henderson readily understood the force of the argument used in your 19, January 26, 6 p.m., to Berne as to the necessity for continuing work without long adjournments and expressed themselves as in sympathy with this idea. We will take future occasion to impress this idea on leading members of the Conference. So far as Henderson and Drummond are able to foresee [Page 19] they will try to keep work going either in plenary sessions or commissions until time for an Easter recess of 2 or 3 weeks after which work will be resumed in such form as may then be possible. Henderson understands that both French and German Governments desire that work should continue regardless of their impending elections.
It is now anticipated that the general discussion will begin on Monday of next week. MacDonald has expressed the desire to make the first statement and Bruening to speak on Tuesday. We have canvassed the question of the most propitious moment for our statement and have come to the conclusion that it would be wise for us to speak on Tuesday before Bruening. In this way what we have to say can be considered on its own merits whereas if we make the same declaration after the French and Germans have possibly precipitated a conflict the same statement might readily be construed as upholding the contentions of one side or the other, thereby lessening its effect.
Unless I hear from you to the contrary I shall make arrangements to this effect.
- February 5.↩