711.672/128: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Special Mission at Lausanne
261. Replying to Mission’s 552 of July 23.1 It seems desirable to sign texts in English, French, and Turkish; the French to control. This was the procedure suggested in your 524,1 and at the time it was apparently acceptable to the Turks. In order to avoid delay in signing the French text the other two could be signed later on. Without the formality of meeting again, the same plenipotentiaries could sign the English and Turkish texts as of same place and date as French original. The Department will not insist on this course, however, if it would imperil immediate signature, and is ready to have you sign the French text, provided you can get a written agreement, preferably embodied in the treaty, that before a specified date, not more than 90 days distant, the representatives of the two Governments will exchange initialed and certified translations in English and Turkish. The Department would prefer to insert this agreement in the body of the treaty, but consents to arrange for it by an exchange of notes.
In order to be prepared to submit the treaty to the Senate it is necessary that we have an authoritative English text, or at least a translation.