765.84/2633: Telegram
The Minister in Switzerland (Wilson) to the Secretary of State
[Received November 20—9:45 a.m.]
353. Yesterday Vasconcellos called on Mayer70 in Geneva in my absence and spoke informally on the question of the extension of [Page 859] the embargo of key products (Canadian proposal, see Gilbert’s 582, November 6, noon71). Vasconcellos wanted you to know that the American position was considered here to be most helpful and was greatly appreciated. He is also pleased with the attitude Germany has adopted. Nevertheless, he is now in a quandary as to whether to call the Committee together in order to extend the embargo. On the one hand he is fearful that the League will be charged with hesitancy or vacillation if it does not act following your statement of last Friday and recent German pronouncements. On the other hand calling the Committee might jeopardize negotiations which the British or French or both are carrying on with Mussolini. Vasconcellos recognizes that under the phraseology of the resolution it is probably his duty now to summon the Committee of Eighteen with a view to the extension of the embargo but Mayer gathered that he considered it wise to defer any immediate step in this direction.
I am visiting Geneva Thursday and at Vasconcellos’ request I expect to see him at that time.
Cipher to London, Rome, Paris.