Office of the Historian

500.C1199/193: Telegram (part air)

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

Geneva, May 26, 1936—6 p.m.
[Received May 27—11:10 a.m.]

195. Consulate’s 631, November 30, [1935,] 2 p.m.1

1.
Secretariat is today notifying members of the Economic Committee that next session will begin July 72 and that question of most-favored-nation clause will be placed on agenda. Secretariat note on this subject will probably be available in about 10 days.
2.
Stoppani3 informs me it appears unlikely that a separate technical committee will be set up. He states confidentially he is anxious to arrange that American policy be fully presented and suggests (a) that Rogers4 might wish to name as substitute for July meeting some one such as Grady5 who is fully familiar with American policy, (b) that Rogers be accompanied by some such expert (in which case no invitation would be issued and expenses would not be paid by the League), (c) that if Department so desired Stoppani might be able to arrange for the Economic Committee to invite two experts to attend July meeting having in mind Rist (France) and an American, their expenses to be paid by the League.
3.
From what I can gather the initiative in the project to consider the most-favored-nation principle lies chiefly with the Secretariat. While I will keep you as informed as possible I do not anticipate that I shall be able to ascertain in advance how the matter may develop in the Committee or what positions may be taken. Stoppani states his conviction, however, that the attitude of the Committee will be to uphold the most-favored-nation principle. Please instruct.
Gilbert
  1. Not printed.↩
  2. The session was postponed until September 7, 1936.↩
  3. Pietro Stoppani, Director of the Economic Relations Section, League of Nations Secretariat.↩
  4. James Harvey Rogers, professor of political economy, Yale University, and member of the Economic Committee of the League of Nations.↩
  5. Henry F. Grady, Dean of the College of Commerce and professor of international trade, University of California at Berkeley.↩