500.A15A5/710: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Chairman of the American Delegation (Davis)
68. Your 129, March 9, 11 p.m. I have discussed with the President the question of the ratification of the new treaty. As the session is now so far advanced, we had not thought that the question of ratification would arise because we have been under the impression that, owing to the difficulty of the nations other than Great Britain and ourselves to sign the treaty at this time, it would probably be only initialed now with a time fixed for signing later in the year. The situation here is becoming more complicated day by day, due to the innumerable cross currents arising in Congress as the legislative program progresses, and the uncertainties of ratification may make it entirely inadvisable purely in the interest of obtaining our agreement to the contemplated naval accord to present the treaty for consideration and ratification at this session. For it to be presented and fail of ratification at this late stage of the session would be worse than the other course proposed. In the light of this situation you should therefore arrange to initial the draft treaty at this time and appoint some time later in the year for affixing our signature.
This whole matter has been given careful consideration and we have come to the conclusion that a postponement of signature is advisable in order not to commit ourselves to presentation to the Senate at this session and thus possibly jeopardize the acceptance of the new treaty.