882.01 Foreign Control/325a: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Minister in Belgium (Gibson)
35. For Reber. The following summary of developments at Monrovia during the past month is transmitted for your information:
Barclay called a special meeting of the Legislature on July 18th for the purpose of considering the “League plan”. It was apparently his intention that the Legislature should enact a law to make it possible to put the plan into effect, but with certain modifications in the direction of less authority. Barclay nevertheless approached Mitchell with the request that the Department undertake to define “ample and adequate authority” with reference to the proposed chief adviser. The Department declined to do this, stating to the Minister that our memorandum and reservation submitted last May together with numerous messages to him on that subject should leave no grounds for doubt.
We have heard nothing from the Minister on the subject since July 22, although we understand that the Legislature is still in session.
The following is the text of a telegram sent Mitchell August 2nd.
“Dennis was received informally at his request today in the Western European Division. He stated that he had been instructed by Barclay to request an interpretation of the phrase ‘ample and adequate authority’, in connection with the powers of a principle foreign official. He was given the following orally:
- (1)
- The Department will not undertake a definition but would be willing, if so requested by Liberia, to examine any proposed legislative draft with a view to expressing an opinion as to whether it met the requirements.
- (2)
- The importance of the delegation of complete authority exclusive of Liberian officials, over a term of years and under guarantees from the League, was stressed as forcefully as possible. Copies of our reservation and memorandum of last May to the League Committee were given to Dennis.
The foregoing is for your information, since Dennis will doubtless report to Barclay by telegraph.
Have there been any developments since your 74, July 22, 11 a.m.?61”
The Minister sails on home leave on August 9. Shantz, Foreign Service Officer Class V, who has been on duty in the Western European Division during recent months has been designated Second Secretary at Monrovia and will act as Chargé d’Affaires ad interim upon his arrival about September 4. He sails from New York Steamship Manhattan August 10 and the Department is endeavoring to arrange to have you instructed to proceed to England to confer with him for a few days prior to his departure from Liverpool.
- Not printed.↩