710.G Women’s Rights/14: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Chairman of the American Delegation (Hull)
104. The President has had under consideration the Treaty providing that there should be no distinction based on sex in the law and practice relating to nationality. The President believes that treaty should be signed at Montevideo on behalf of the United States but with a reservation in the following words: “That the agreement on the part of the United States is of course and of necessity subject to Congressional action.”
Your previous instructions are accordingly modified so as to permit you to conform with this suggestion of the President. If you deem it desirable you may state to the Conference that the signing of the Treaty on behalf of the United States with the reservation in question has been suggested by the President.
The President asks me to say for your personal information that the representative women of all parties and factions here are greatly aroused and that while he appreciates the undesirability of the proposed general language, the broad purpose is good and the reservation allows us to handle details later. He is sure you will agree with this.