550.S1/1095: Telegram
The Chairman of the American Delegation (Hull) to the Acting Secretary of State
[Received July 4—5:38 p.m.]
101. For the President. The meeting of the Bureau or Steering Committee composed of 14 representatives of the leading nations met at 6 o’clock p.m. with the seeming determination of gold standard countries and certain others to adopt resolution to recess the convention for a period of months upon the principal ground that no progress could be made on economic problems until monetary difficulties, especially exchange currency fluctuations were first settled. The proposal further was that when this cause for recess should be removed the Prime Minister would reconvene the Conference. This was a definite plan to fasten responsibility for adjournment or recess on our Government.
I entered a motion to delay to adjourn the meeting until tomorrow and gave reasons relating to the time for deliberation, et cetera. Neville Chamberlain seconded my motion with an amendment to adjourn until Thursday. The opposition which had been determined on final action today then collapsed and the motion to meet Thursday, 10 a.m. prevailed unanimously.
A majority of our friends here now feel that our Government may go out of one flare-up into another if this regular session continues but that this would be avoided by a recess and the appointment of certain committees with MacDonald and the Steering Committee in charge as per that proposal. I have already wired for your best judgment as to a choice between these two proposals. Naturally we would expect that such course would not contemplate the slightest imputation upon our Government in the way of responsibility for such a course.