500.A15A4 General Committee (Arms)/158: Telegram
The American Delegate (Wilson) to the Secretary of State
[Received March 21—8:50 a.m.]
1019. The French action in seizing the Council with the German situation58 makes it necessary for me to consult you as to the future of our work here in manufacture of and trade in arms. The Council will presumably meet in the latter part of next week.
A meeting of the Council on a matter of such great importance must mean an interruption of our work during the Council session.59 It may well mean in addition that the Council’s meeting will rob our debates of such reality as the ex parte démarche of yesterday has left in them. It may become apparent that the continuance of our debates may exacerbate an already profoundly difficult and delicate situation. Furthermore the opposition between the states that may well develop [Page 36] in the Council may also render impossible any conciliation between the opposing theses already existing in the arms discussion.
All of the foregoing paragraph is guesswork and I hope we can continue our work in normal course. However, it seems advantageous to learn from you as early as possible whether you desire me to insist upon the prosecution of our work under all conditions or whether you would think it wiser to permit me, if the situation suddenly demands such a decision, to acquiesce in adjournment.