500.A15A4 General Committee (Arms)/101: Telegram
The American Delegate ( Wilson ) to the Secretary of State
[Received February 24—11:40 a.m.]
990. In preparing for the discussion of “control” in tomorrow’s meeting an examination of the amended draft of article 30 raised the thought that paragraph 3E (our despatch number 10746 and your [Page 22] instruction December 2447) might be construed as permitting inspection of war reserves “matériel stocks” and material in the hands of troops. Since the scope of convention is limited to publicity and supervision of production of war material it would appear untenable as outside the scope of this convention if such inspections were permissible. With this in mind we have redrafted 3E and added a subparagraph D to paragraph 4. I quote the suggested paragraphs herewith.
3E. Inspection on the spot of the completed articles of categories I to V inclusive, and the fully processed component parts thereof, produced in state or private establishments, in order to verify the execution of the obligations of the high contracting parties, under this convention, shall be made in the presence of designated representatives of the high contracting parties under investigation.
4D. Articles of categories I to V inclusive, after they are delivered to the armed forces of or have been embodied in war reserves of the high contracting parties under investigation.
I believe that the time has come when a useful purpose would be served by presenting our amendment on article 30 as soon as possible and would, therefore, appreciate instructions at an early date.
- November 26, 1934, Foreign Relations, 1934, vol. i, p. 193.↩
- Foreign Relations, 1934, vol. i, p. 211.↩