511.1D1/21
The Acting Secretary General of the League of Nations (Barone) to the Secretary of State2
Sir: In my letter of December 18th, 1928, (C.L. 83(a))3 I had the honour to submit for your consideration a draft convention on the treatment of foreigners drawn up by the Economic Committee of the League of Nations in pursuance of the resolutions of the International Economic Conference of 1927.4
The text of this draft and the comments made upon it by the Economic Committee are reproduced in the enclosed document C. I. T. E. I.5 This document also includes a historical introduction, the observations submitted by various Governments in reply to the letter of December 18th, and the comments made by the Economic Committee on these observations. It thus contains the preparatory documents for the International Conference, which was already in contemplation at the time when I communicated to you the draft convention (C.174.M.53.1928.II).
A resolution adopted by the Council of the League of Nations on December 14th, 1928, authorized the Secretary-General to invite the States concerned to this Conference after consulting the Economic Committee. I have since been requested by this Committee to make use of the powers thus conferred on me, and the Council at its meeting of March 7th, 1929, fixed the date of the Conference as November 5th, 1929.
I accordingly have the honour to invite your Government to send a delegation invested with the necessary powers to this Conference, the object of which is to conclude an international convention relative to [Page 430] the treatment of foreigners. The attached draft prepared by the Economic Committee will serve as a basis for discussion.8
I should be grateful if you would inform me whether the United States Government is prepared to send representatives to this Conference, and, if so, to let me know the composition of its delegation, if possible before October 1st, next.
I have [etc.]