500.A15A4 General Committee/151: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the American Delegate (Wilson)
285. Your 516, January 27, 8 p.m.14 Your telegram has made clear that as seen from Geneva a speech along the lines of your redraft would risk being misconstrued at the Conference and might endanger future French collaboration. On the other hand, further consideration has convinced me that a speech along the lines of your original draft would be badly received in this country.
[Page 8]In the circumstances, I agree with you that the best course would be to avoid any American declaration in the general discussion of the French plan at least until the situation has further clarified. I approve your suggestion of an informal explanation to the French Delegation of the reasons for our remaining silent.
The success of this general procedure will depend in large measure on the guidance that you can give the press representatives in Geneva.
If at any time the situation alters and you feel that we must make a statement of our views, please telegraph at once and we could probably approve a text following a middle course between the two drafts you have submitted.
- Not printed.↩