882.01 Foreign Control/83: Telegram
The Ambassador in Great Britain (Dawes) to the Secretary of State
[Received 11:30 a.m.]
59. From Reber: The Liberian Committee accepted in principle instructions to experts as outlined in Embassy’s telegram No. 56 of February 28, reserving final approval for session today. In addition it was agreed as an emergency measure to despatch a medical officer forthwith from Sierra Leone to undertake preliminary sanitary work in collaboration with Liberian Government and to invite “the Liberian [Page 680] Government to accept his assistance and give prompt effect to his recommendations to the full extent of its resources”.
The Committee has named Mr. Brunot, a Frenchman, and Mr. Ligthart, a Dutchman, as administrative and financial experts, respectively, and is asking the health organization to designate an expert in health matters. They will proceed as soon as possible.
In agreeing to discuss these matters Grimes accepted with reservation that Liberian sovereignty will not be infringed.
[Paraphrase.] Apparently the attacks by Grimes upon the Finance Corporation and foreign advisers and the combined efforts of both Liberian representatives to avoid having Liberia make any commitments to put into effect the recommendations of the provisional experts in sanitation served to alienate almost all of the Committee members. The Venezuelan representative, who had until then opposed extension of the Committee’s authority beyond nominating the experts, personally expressed to me his sincere hope of finding a formula which, though avoiding the appearance of interference by the League with the sovereignty of a member state, would serve effectively to insure the carrying out of any recommendations of the experts. To any such formula he promised his full support, and he stated that he would do everything in his power toward assisting such a solution. I considered it advisable, in view of the attitude of the Committee majority, not to reply to the insinuations made by the Liberian representatives. [End paraphrase.] [Reber.]