500.C1112/85: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Acting Secretary of State
[Received 4:27 p.m.]
58. Department’s 72, December 5 and subsequent. I believe that this inquiry could serve a very useful purpose on the one hand by securing recognition for the necessity of reviving international trade [Page 482] and on the other hand by subjecting to careful examination various inadequate ideas regarding economic conditions. Therefore my present disposition is to favor American representation on this committee especially in light of indication in your 102 of December 1253 that the British Government desires the committee to be one of technical inquiry.
I do not think, of course, that American participation would be desirable if there were to be direct discussion of European political problems, but I assume that such is definitely contrary to the intention of the Secretariat and the British Government.
Please communicate with Gilbert and inform him that our inclination is to favor American participation on the above understanding and request him to cable as to whether he believes this understanding completely justified.
As for the method of selection of the American member of the committee, the procedure under (b) and (c) mentioned in your 72 would of course give a wider range of selection.
In thinking over American representation it occurs to me that President Bowman of Johns Hopkins University would, both by training, knowledge and experience, be an excellent man. Have you any opinion on this or alternative suggestions?
- Not printed; see telegram No. 604, December 10, 1 p.m., from the Ambassador in the United Kingdom, supra. ↩