500.A15A4 General Committee/307: Telegram
The Chairman of the American Delegation ( Davis ) to the Secretary of State
[Received 6:15 p.m.]
609. The continuous flow of press advices from the United States concerning discussions on security between the President, MacDonald and Herriot created a situation here in which every hour of delay made my silence more portentous. Furthermore, the discussions in the General Commission were reaching a stage in which I could not remain silent. It therefore seemed advisable to speak and try to put aside the discussion on part I and put an end for the moment to the expectation. I accordingly spoke as follows:
“Part I of the British plan which is under discussion is designed to coordinate the efforts of member and non-member states of the League to promote and establish peace through consulation and methodical cooperation when the peace may be threatened or broken. It is, I may now say, both the policy and the practice of the United States to confer where questions affecting the peace are concerned.
Part I of the British plan introduces, however, a new element for us in the codification of the principle of consultation and its incorporation in a disarmament treaty.
My Government now has this whole question under careful advisement. It appreciates the importance of harmonizing the particular situation of the United States with any constructive efforts to meet the special needs, particularly on the continent of Europe, for the adequate organization of the machinery for preserving peace. I therefore anticipate taking occasion at a later stage of our discussions to indicate how we consider that the United States may best associate itself in such efforts, consistently with its established policy.
Our ability to make our collaboration effective will depend in large part on the measure of disarmament which we may be able now to achieve. It must be definite, it must be substantial. We are prepared to make very great efforts to assist in the maintenance of peace when the determination to preserve the peace is evidenced by the achievement of real measures for mutual and progressive disarmament.
We believe that for the first time the states of the world, and particularly in Europe where the problem of armaments is most acute, are seriously desirous of taking effective steps to lower the level of armaments. We have reached this conclusion because of the growing conviction, particularly manifest in Europe, that armaments have become a source of political tension and instability and that there would be more security in measures of disarmament which would [Page 109] diminish the ability of any state to make a successful surprise attack on another. There is a realization that this can be brought about especially by two means: the abandonment of weapons which facilitate aggression and the establishment of effective and continuous supervision of armaments. To that end it may well be found necessary to reenforce those measures of supervision and control already envisaged.
We are in agreement that the efforts of states members of the League and of non-member states should be coordinated not only in determining the measures of disarmament but in their effective supervision. We are in agreement that we should work together for the maintenance of peace. Before reaching a final decision with regard to chapter I, I suggest that we might well pass on to other sections of the draft convention before us and in particular article 94, dealing with the duration of the treaty, which affects each and every decision we might take.
At the appropriate time we shall be quite willing to revert to the general question dealt with in chapter I with a view to giving a more precise indication of the manner in which we consider that the United States can most effectively cooperate.”
At the close of the session Henderson54 decided to call a meeting of the Bureau for tomorrow morning at which he will propose that the Commission defer consideration of part I and proceed to the discussion of part II.
- President of the Conference.↩