550.S1/906: Telegram

The Chairman of the American Delegation to the World Monetary and Economic Conference ( Hull ) to the Acting Secretary of State

10. Please deliver the following strictly confidential message to the President.

“I earnestly trust reports are unfounded that Congress will not be asked for executive authority to negotiate reciprocal commercial treaties based on mutual tariff concessions with right of congressional veto included as per State Department draft of bill. My deliberate judgment is that in addition to most seriously handicapping the mission of our delegation to the London Economic Conference it would be a major error to defer until 1934 any authority thus to negotiate this type of commercial treaty. My profound belief is that by the end of the first year of your administration the American accomplishments possible at the London Conference even if only moderately successful at this first session will constitute the most outstanding single achievement of your administration. The attitude of your Government on this vital matter will naturally greatly affect the nature of my address at the opening of the Conference.5 Furthermore it seems to me that such an eventuality would necessitate serious alterations in your instructions to the delegation and that delegation would be reduced to a passive role at the Conference rather than the active role contemplated.”

Hull
  1. For text of address, see Department of State, Press Releases, June 17, 1933, p. 445.