500.C114/1926: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the United Kingdom ( Winant )

4952. Your number 4884, October 13, 10 p.m. Before making final decision as to whether this Government will desire to participate in the proposed joint study by the British and Allied Governments of the question raised by Sir Alexander Cadogan concerning future international juridical organization, and what the form of the participation [Page 40] should be, the Department would like to have some indication as to the extent to which the studies by the Foreign Office have advanced and as to the considerations which the British Government proposes to use in determining whether the existing statute of the Permanent Court of International Justice would be adequate “for the purpose”. Since this question necessarily opens for examination the entire problem of post-war international political organization, we should also like to know what reasons the British Government may have in mind for approaching this problem through studying first the question of the Court’s future. Finally, are we right in assuming that the proposed inquiry will be wholly advisory in character?

In your discretion please endeavor to elicit from the British Government any information that may throw light on these points.

Hull