Thomas D. Jones to Woodrow Wilson
Title
Thomas D. Jones to Woodrow Wilson
Creator
Thomas D. Jones
Identifier
WWP22094
Date
1917 November 16
Source
Library of Congress, Woodrow Wilson Papers, 1786-1957
Text
My dear Mr. President
I think you ought to be advised of the turn which the Swiss negotiations have taken since I last talked with you about them. An arrangement had been reached, by negotiations conducted by Dr. Taylor on the part of this Board and the Minister for Switzerland, which was believed to be satisfactory to all parties; certainly to the United States, to England and to France, and while the Minister for Switzerland did not assume to commit his country in any way, we understood that he would recommend to the Government of Switzerland the approval of this agreement. This was the condition of things when Mr. McCormick and Dr. Taylor left us. Since then Dr. Sulzer has advised us that the agreement is quite unsatisfactory to his Government, not only in form but in substance. This situation calls for a practically new agreement. Dr. Taylor has had this whole negotiation in his charge; he is singularly equipped for the further negotiations required, both by possession of the requisite information and by possession of a negotiating temperament, and it has seemed to us all here that time would be saved, and better results would be achieved by transferring to Paris the entire negotiation for a new agreement. Dr. Taylor can take them up there, and there will be the additional advantage that the negotiations will be carried on in close co-operation with the French Government, which has been all along sympathetic towards the Swiss. We communicated the situation to Mr. McCormick by cable and have reply from him and Dr. Taylor to-day agreeing to the proposal which we had made, that they take up negotiations at Paris. I am sure that this is a wise arrangement and I believe that you will approve of it. Mr Polk has agreed to this arrangement on behalf of the State Department.
Faithfully yours,
Thomas D. Jones
Acting Chairman
The President,
The White House,
Washington.
I think you ought to be advised of the turn which the Swiss negotiations have taken since I last talked with you about them. An arrangement had been reached, by negotiations conducted by Dr. Taylor on the part of this Board and the Minister for Switzerland, which was believed to be satisfactory to all parties; certainly to the United States, to England and to France, and while the Minister for Switzerland did not assume to commit his country in any way, we understood that he would recommend to the Government of Switzerland the approval of this agreement. This was the condition of things when Mr. McCormick and Dr. Taylor left us. Since then Dr. Sulzer has advised us that the agreement is quite unsatisfactory to his Government, not only in form but in substance. This situation calls for a practically new agreement. Dr. Taylor has had this whole negotiation in his charge; he is singularly equipped for the further negotiations required, both by possession of the requisite information and by possession of a negotiating temperament, and it has seemed to us all here that time would be saved, and better results would be achieved by transferring to Paris the entire negotiation for a new agreement. Dr. Taylor can take them up there, and there will be the additional advantage that the negotiations will be carried on in close co-operation with the French Government, which has been all along sympathetic towards the Swiss. We communicated the situation to Mr. McCormick by cable and have reply from him and Dr. Taylor to-day agreeing to the proposal which we had made, that they take up negotiations at Paris. I am sure that this is a wise arrangement and I believe that you will approve of it. Mr Polk has agreed to this arrangement on behalf of the State Department.
Faithfully yours,
Thomas D. Jones
Acting Chairman
The President,
The White House,
Washington.
To
Wilson, Woodrow, 1856-1924
Files
Collection
Citation
Thomas D. Jones, “Thomas D. Jones to Woodrow Wilson,” 1917 November 16, WWP22094, World War I Letters, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum, Staunton, Virginia.