500.A41a/12: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the French Chargé (Beam)
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your Note of September 16, 1921, in which you request elucidation of two phrases in the Memorandum forwarded to your Government relative to the agenda of the forthcoming Conference on the Limitation of Armament.
With regard to the phrase in the second paragraph of the part of the agenda concerning the limitation of armament, “Rules for Control of New Agencies of Warfare”, I may say that this Government had in mind the discussion of the advisability of formulating rules for the control of new agencies of warfare; as, for example, the use of gas, aircraft and submarines.
With regard to your inquiry concerning the meaning and significance of the concluding paragraph of the Memorandum, which had been intended to clarify the purport of the heading, “Status of Existing Commitments”, I am happy to advise you that this paragraph had reference to the desire of this Government to introduce into the discussion of Far Eastern affairs a frank and friendly interchange of information and views as to all commitments which might now or hereafter be invoked in relation to the Far Eastern policies of the several Powers and to the particular applications thereof, with a [Page 71] view to seeking such an understanding as to the nature and effect of these commitments as would in future obviate any controversy which might arise through any misconception of the positions of the several Powers.
Accept [etc.]