504.418B1/136½
Memorandum by the Chief of the Treaty Division ( Barnes ) to the Chief of the Division of Latin American Affairs ( Wilson )
The treaty for the protection of artistic and scientific institutions and historic monuments was thoroughly considered in the Department last summer. Including, as I recall, the personal views of the Secretary, there was practically no sympathy with it in the Department. The treaty had been before the Department for consideration at least twice before, and there is a large file of correspondence and memoranda of record.
Secretary of Agriculture Wallace was deeply interested in the treaty and convinced the President that the United States should support it. Last August the President issued a full power in the usual form to Secretary Wallace to sign the treaty on behalf of the United States, and Dr. Rowe2 was informed that a full power had been issued to Secretary Wallace. The attitude of the United States toward the signing of the treaty is therefore settled and the next step will be for Secretary Wallace to sign it at the time which may be arranged for by the Governing Board of the Pan American Union. After signature the Pan American Union will, of course, send a certified copy to the Department for transmission to the President and Senate for ratification.
- Leo S. Rowe, Director General of the Pan American Union.↩