MEMORANDUM FOR LIEUTENANT CONDON
Acting on a suggestion from Sir Eric Drummond, which was embodied in a letter to General H. O. Mance, dated July 29, 1919, Mr. White, Mr. Fosdick, General Mance, Dr. Hudson and Lieutenant Condon met on August 5, 1919, to discuss how the League of Nations could best fulfill its duties under Article 23-E of the Covenant of the League, as well as the duties imposed upon it by the Clauses in the Peace Treaties concerning Ports, Waterways and Railways.
It was agreed at the meeting of August 5 that an invitation should be issued by the French Government addressed to the Allied and Associated Powers represented on the Ports, Waterways, and Railways Commission, asking those Powers to designate technical representatives who might meet in Paris to discuss more fully
| 1. | The performance of by the League of Nations of the obligations contained in Article 23-E of the Covenant of the League; |
| 2. | The discharge of the League of Nations of the responsibilties placed upon it by the various Treaties of Peace with respect to the Ports, Waterways, and Railways Clauses. |
It was further decided that the French Government might also address similar invitations to certain other Governments, particularly interested in transit and transport problems.
The French Government, on August 31, 1919, issued the invitation to the Powers represented on the Commission of Ports, Waterways, and Railways. This is attached as Annex 1. A similar invitation at the same time was addressed to the neutral Governments of Brazil, Argentine, Holland, and Switzerland. Unfortunately, the invitation to the American Government was kept in the office of Mr. Grew, and Mr. White, Lieutenant Condon, and T. S. Barclay knew nothing of it until called to their attention by Mr. Adatci, the Japanese Delegate. On September 8, Mr. Grew cabled the invitation in full to the Department of State, with the suggestion that if the Government acted favorably on the proposition, that it appoint as the American technical representative, Dr. Manley O. Hudson. On September 10, the Acting Secretary of State replied that Dr. Hudson was leaving America on September 20th for Paris.
Dr. Hudson arrived in Paris on September 29, and on October 1, an informal meeting was held at the Hotel Crillon. This meeting was attended by the representatives of England, France and the United States. Certain informal decisions were made, which are attached to this memorandum as Annex 2.
Dr. Hudson is very anxious to hold a preliminary meeting of the technical representatives between October 15th and 20th. This is not favored by the French, according to information received from Mr. Adatci, which is attached as Annex 3. It should also be noted that none of the neutral governments have to date, October 6, replied to the invitation of the French Republic.The necessity for the appointment of an American arbitrator under Article 339 of the Treaty with Germany and similar articles in the other Treaties has long been recognized by the American Delegation. Mr. White on September 17th cabled Mr. Lansing, suggesting our Government name either Fairfax Harrison or Howard Elliott. Dr. Hudson and Colonel Logan, on October 2, drafted another telegram to the Department, which is enclosing herewith as Annex 4.
The British reply and a tentative American reply to the French invitation are enclosed as Annex 5. Enclosed also are copies of a letter sent to Dr. Hudson on October 2, giving a resumé of the situation and a resolution of the Supreme Council concerning certain negotiations with Holland, which are annexes 6 and 7.-------
