811.04418/94: Telegram
The Ambassador in Germany (Dodd) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 31—10:05 a.m.]
257. Your 507, December 28 to the American Embassy, Paris, just received. I seriously question the desirability of any permanent detailed neutrality legislation in the sense of “mandatory” legislation.
The effort to maintain our independent position and for this purpose to try to prevent another world war in which we might well become involved, requires, in my opinion, that the President and the State Department have the authority and freedom to act with respect to neutrality as the uncertain and dangerous situation in Europe may demand. In other words, I believe the Executive should have as complete a discretion as possible to deal with each set of circumstances [Page 166] as may arise. What may be desirable for the maintenance of our independent position at one moment may be positively dangerous for this purpose in a different set of circumstances.