500.A15A4 General Committee/972: Telegram
The Chairman of the American Delegation (Davis) to the Secretary of State
[Received June 9—10:30 a.m.]
889. My 886, June 8, 1 p.m. Section II, part 1 (a). Sandler informs me that although the neutral states do not intend to join in any such regional pacts they want to be represented on the committee in order to keep informed and also perhaps to exercise a healthy influence. In any event my opinion is that it is inadvisable for us to serve on this committee unless the President’s proposal for a universal pact of nonaggression should be on its agenda which I do not however anticipate. Should it appear on the agenda it would undoubtedly be easy to participate for that debate only.
Part 1 (b). I feel that we should participate in this committee if invited both because we are deeply interested in the matter of supervision and because it would be advisable to watch developments on the idea concerning guarantees of execution although we would not participate in such guarantees.
Part II. It is generally felt that the Committee on Air can do no useful work at the present time in the absence of Germany and the Secretariat believes it will not be called at once. We are of course members of this committee and will participate in the work if it is carried on.
Part III. We will naturally participate in the Committee on the Manufacture of and Traffic in Arms.
[Page 117]Inasmuch as Henderson will presumably make recommendations at the meeting of the General Commission on Monday as to the personnel of these committees if you desire me to take another stand from that outlined please inform thereof.