500.A15A5/685a: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Chairman of the American Delegation (Davis)
46. Your 105, February 25, 2 p.m. We suggest for your consideration a line of action somewhat as follows:
That we offer to leave with the British Government as the inviting power to the conference, a memorandum indicating the type of a treaty, on the lines of the British basis of discussion, which we could accept provided it is accepted by the principal naval powers. At the same time we could signify our willingness to sign such a treaty at any time before the end of this year with, of course, the appropriate escape clauses if it has not been accepted by all the naval powers. Of course, the date and time of acceptance does not appear to us to be a [Page 73] matter of urgency and we could therefore leave to the British, as the inviting power to this conference, the order and the manner in which the acceptance of the other naval powers might be obtained.
The memorandum of the type Treaty should however be referred to the President before initialing.