882.01 Foreign Control/259
Memorandum by Mr. Ellis O. Briggs of the Division of Western European Affairs
Mr. Reber telephoned at 3:30 Washington time to report, with reference to the Department’s telegraphic instructions No. 83, May 14, 3 p.m., and No. 85, May 16, 8 p.m.,40 that in spite of his constant objections the International Committee in today’s session had adopted for submission to the Council on May 19 a program which represented in his opinion a thoroughly unworkable and impractical plan. He stated that he had discussed the matter with Mr. Hugh Wilson [Page 727] and Mr. Marriner and that they agreed that it would be necessary for us to submit a formal reservation, inasmuch as we cannot agree with the Committee’s plan.
I told Reber that I believed the Department would agree as to the necessity for an American reservation and asked whether he had formulated any draft. Mr. Reber then dictated the following text:
[Mr. Reber’s text is substantially the same as the American reservation included in the report adopted by the Committee on Liberia May 20. For text of the reservation, see telegram No. 200, May 21, noon, from the Consul at Geneva, printed on page 731.]
He said that he was very anxious if possible to receive instructions from the Department regarding the above draft in time for use on May 18 in a final effort to block the submission of the program which we oppose. I told him that we would accordingly try to transmit instructions to him during the course of the evening Washington time.
(Such an instruction was sent: Department’s 87, May 17, 9 p.m.)41