882.01 Foreign Control/684: Telegram
The Consul at Geneva (Gilbert) to the Secretary of State
[Received 9:20 p.m.]
256. From General Winship. My 25579 and your 106.80 Council adopted the report of the Committee and the plan of assistance, Grimes abstaining from voting.
After a brief statement by the rapporteur (Poland), Cecil read a communication from me informing the Committee of the willingness of [Page 959] the Finance Corporation to undertake the obligations of the plan and the Corporation’s position regarding funds for education. I believe this had an exceedingly good effect and I have made it available to the press. Text by part air.80a I have also asked Hines to telegraph my personal gratification to Firestone.
Grimes made a speech referring to his “reservations” and stressing “constitutional objections.” Cecil replied that there were ample guarantees in the plan and that it was the opinion of the Committee, “an opinion which I believe to be well founded, that unless something of this kind is done the political independence of Liberia would be in serious danger.” He emphasized that Liberia must now express a definite acceptance or rejection of the plan as a whole.
The only other speaker was Madariaga.81 Although he made several somewhat critical allusions to the previous attitude of the Firestone interests, he characterized as “very considerate” and “generous” the concessions now made. He referred to the guarantee afforded Liberia by the continuing interest of the League and strongly urged Liberia to accept the plan. (I consider Madariaga’s remarks to constitute on the whole a very valuable contribution especially as, notwithstanding Pedroso’s82 helpful attitude on the Committee, it had been previously understood that Madariaga might support Grimes’ contentions before the Council.)
With reference to the point on the Chief Adviser raised in your telegram 106, second paragraph, the following appears in the protocol as a note relating to article 13, section 1:
“It is understood that the Chief Adviser should not belong to the same nationality as the Financial Adviser or to the nationality of any country which has territory adjacent to Liberia.”
The same appears in the report of the Committee to the Council.
I have explained to Hines the questions raised in your 106, third paragraph, and he is telegraphing his principals.
As soon as possible I shall telegraph a summary of my views on the existing position.
Documents are being forwarded steamship Bremen sailing October 16th. [Winship.]