500.A15A4 General Committee/951: Telegram
The Chairman of the American Delegation ( Davis ) to the Secretary of State
[Received June 5—12:32 a.m.]
868. My 869.91 1. The debates this afternoon following the wide divergences in the General Commission have brought the Conference to a grave crisis.92 There is reason to doubt whether either Great Britain or Italy will continue unless a real endeavor is made to attack the decisive problem of the return of Germany. Furthermore, they both have deep distrust of “regional undertakings” in the absence of Germany.
2. I have prepared a resolution which I send under separate number 87093 which I expect to offer at tomorrow’s meeting of the Bureau unless developments meanwhile make it unnecessary or inadvisable.
3. I am convinced that this is in entire accord with the spirit of your instructions and may form a possible compromise on which the Bureau may reach agreement and by which the Conference may thus be saved. [Page 99] I do not feel that this could be construed as bringing pressure on anyone. Furthermore in the event that the Conference fails at this moment there is in my opinion every advantage in having the American position on record and in our having made a final and open effort to save the Conference.