500.A15A4/1326: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Acting Chairman of the American Delegation (Gibson)
183. Your 333, July 15, 6 [9] p.m. While I am not prepared to state how definitely the text you have worked out with the French commits us, nevertheless its general tenor does not seem to be consistent with our position of refusing to accept for ourselves any form [Page 296] of global limitation of expenditures. There has been no alteration of policy on this point. The text you suggested in your 305 July 5, midnight, I accepted in that it referred only to savings in matériel, but at the same time I cautioned you that this was the ultimate limit to which we would go.
After all, the resolution of adjournment is primarily a list of subjects on which all the delegations are agreed. Global limitation of expenditure is not one of them and as such should not be included. Even if it is framed with such loopholes as not actually to bind us to an acceptance of the principle, it would introduce into the negotiations a second and alternate method of disarmament which might well eventually result in the sidetracking of our proposals.
I quite appreciate the difficulties of your negotiations as well as the pressure from other delegations, and I desire to be as helpful as possible, but the principle of global limitation of expenditures even in an attenuated form is one we cannot accept. It would put us at a disadvantage with respect to other powers, it would cost us the support of the services here, it would not, as far as we can judge, command popular approval, and above all it would weaken the clear-cut framework of the President’s plan.
Of course publicity of expenditure is acceptable in any form and I have agreed to limitation of expenditure for matériel (see telegram no. 170, July 6, 11 a.m.) but beyond this I regret we cannot go.