882.01 Foreign Control/367: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Consul at Geneva (Gilbert)
133. For Reber. Our telegram No. 132 September 21, 4 p.m. We are disturbed by Cecil’s insistence on a point which we feel may well result in breaking up the meeting of the Committee,—a possibility which he cannot fail to have foreseen. Moreover he is perfectly well aware that the American Government is not “disposed to accept full responsibility” but believes that the problem deserves “sustained international cooperation.”
We should like to receive your interpretation of his activities, together with confidential comment as to whether you would favor direct immediate discussion in London or Washington, initiated by us, for the purpose of pointing out to the British:
- (1)
- That we consider the injection by Cecil of the nationality question at this time, prior to the receipt by the Committee from Liberia of any sort of satisfactory “delegation of authority” is quite likely to jeopardize the prospects of any accomplishment. (We might add that, in view of the predominant American investment in Liberia, we do not believe that the insistence of the interested company that an American citizen head the proposed organization is unreasonable, or that our support is in any way incompatible with our announced position in favor of continued international cooperation);
- (2)
- That Cecil’s thesis (as understood from your 250) that the only alternative methods of handling the problems are on the basis of “all League” or of “all American” participation, impresses us as unsound. It seems obvious that our policy throughout vis-à-vis the Liberian situation has been in the expectation of full and cordial participation with League agencies. Our insistence upon the preliminary delegation of authority by Liberia is and has been founded on the desire to avoid difficulties which our experience indicates would inevitably ensue unless the “plan” were thoroughly practicable.