711.5112France/356: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in France (Herrick)
193. At my request, the French Ambassador called at the Department this morning. I showed him a press despatch published in one of the daily papers to effect that French Government would sign the anti-war treaty as soon as it was presented for signature, as well as another despatch also saying in effect that France would accept proposed multilateral treaty but that Briand had repeated wish of French Government that substance of my communication should be included in full in some part of the proposed treaty or its preamble, or in a supplementary protocol.
I explained to Claudel that I must decline to put these interpretations of the treaty either into a preamble or into an exchange of notes as a part of the treaty, as they would have to be sent to the Senate for consent and advice; I had written these notes merely to show what the understanding of the United States was of the effect of the treaty, and that these public declarations of interpretation should be sufficient; that I could not go any farther than I have gone already in the proposed treaty. Claudel said that he thought the press report under discussion was only newspaper talk and that he had already informed the French Government that I had gone as far as I possibly could. He also said that he understood that his Government was consulting with that of Great Britain on the subject. I replied, naturally, that I had no objection.
I also informed the British Chargé of the same thing. Telegraph if you know what action French Cabinet has taken. I have merely wished you to understand the situation.