882.01 Foreign Control/763: Telegram

The Consul at Geneva ( Gilbert ) to the Secretary of State

8. League Secretariat has today received through Sottile4 a declaration from the Liberian Government accepting Plan of Assistance subject to certain reservations texts of which are being forwarded by mail due to arrive in Geneva after the close of Council session. Although it is not yet known what the tenor of these reservations will be text of Sottile’s covering communication indicates that constitutional objections will figure largely. He further stated that financial measures were unsatisfactory and that Barclay4a had been authorized by the Legislature to negotiate another agreement directly with the Finance Corporation.

While the first reaction here appears to be that no reservations can be accepted by the Council and that to wait for their arrival would serve no useful purpose since the plan was presented for Liberia’s acceptance as a whole no decision as to action by the present Council or as to future procedure will be taken until after consultation with Cecil5 and other members of the former Liberian Committee.

Should therefore Department have any further information concerning these reservations or suggestions as to procedure which might be informally presented please instruct. Reber6 concurs.

Gilbert
  1. Antoine Sottile, permanent Liberian delegate to the League of Nations.
  2. Edwin Barclay, President of Liberia.
  3. Viscount Cecil of Chelwood.
  4. Samuel Reber, American representative, League of Nations Committee on Liberia.