882.01 Foreign Control/191: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Consul at Geneva (Gilbert)
17. For Reber. Your telegram No. 16, January 18, 10 a.m. Your assumption that the Department does not desire you to take the initiative regarding the Finance Corporation draft transmitted in [Page 693] Department’s telegram No. 9 is correct. The draft was sent for your information only, and because Firestone interests were specifically mentioned in the report of the experts to the International Committee.
The Department has expressed no opinion regarding it, other than to point out that certain features which would immediately involve the United States in Africa would be inacceptable to this Government, in order that the Finance Corporation, in the event of request by the International Committee for a statement of the bases on which it would consent to advance further funds, should make no proposal which this Government could not support in its capacity as member of the International Committee. The Department assumes that the Finance Corporation will modify these points (specifically paragraphs 2, 9 and 10 of the Department’s summary) after the extent and scope of the Committee’s work at this meeting is more clearly determined, but if there appears to be any doubt on the subject in the minds of Hines or Howe, you are authorized to inform them that your Government would oppose the inclusion of any provisions, either by them or by the International Committee, which would lead to exclusive responsibilities by this country in Liberia.
The following for you only: The first paragraph of the confidential memorandum given Howe (quoted at the end of the Department’s telegram No. 9) represents the farthest which the Department would wish to have to go, rather than what the Department would consider the most desirable solution.
In view of our unwillingness to assume exclusive responsibility ourselves and the impossibility of our granting a priori approval to a scheme for its assumption by any other single power, the most desirable solution from the point of view of this Government would be the setting up of some form of international administrative control in Liberia during a period of rehabilitation, American participation in which to be on the basis of our representation on an international committee whose instrument would be an organization in Liberia approximating the proposed Commissioner Generalship. (See second paragraph of memorandum to Howe)
The Department would therefore be prepared to approve the general plan of the Finance Corporation draft (if as or when brought up before the International Committee at its request) in so far as this plan relates to the powers and functions of the Commissioner Generalship. I feel, moreover, that without complete control no useful purpose would be served; that there would be no profit in further discussions of “adviserships” which have been amply tried in the past. The Department feels strongly that an American should [Page 694] head such an organization, and it does not believe that the nationality of his subordinates is so important as their being appointed by and responsible to the head of the organization, since in order to function efficiently most decisions would have to be made on the spot and should be binding upon his staff and/or Liberian officials.
Your telegram No. 19, January 18, 1 p.m. Please express appreciation to Von Renthe-Fink for his communication, and suggest that, inasmuch as this would appear to be a matter for decision between the International Committee and the Finance Corporation, it be taken up direct with the latter. You may add that you have been informed that the Finance Corporation will have a representative shortly in Geneva. You should also state that in accordance with the request of the President of the International Committee, the Department is forwarding to the Finance Corporation for its confidential information a copy of the report of the experts.