A.—7

While my Government is satisfied that the draft treaty proposed by it on the 13th April, 1928, could be properly accepted by the Powers of the world without change, except for including among the original signatories the British Dominions, India, all parties to the treaties of Locarno, and, it may be, all parties to the neutrality treaties mentioned by the Government of France, it has no desire to delay or complicate the present negotiations by rigidly adhering to the precise phraseology of that draft, particularly since it appears that, by modifying the draft in form, though not in substance, the points raised by other Governments can be satisfactorily met and general agreement upon the text of the treaty to be signed be promptly reached. The Government of the United States has therefore decided to submit to the fourteen other Governments now concerned in these negotiations a revised draft of a multilateral treaty for the renunciation of war. The text of this revised draft is identical with that of the draft proposed by the United States on the I3th April, 1928, except that the preamble now provides that the British Dominions, India, and all parties to the treaties of Locarno are to be included among the Powers called upon to sign the treaty in the first instance, and except that the first three paragraphs of the preamble have been changed to read as follows : — " Deeply sensible of their solemn duty to promote the welfare of mankind ; " Persuaded that the time has come when a frank renunciation of war as an instrument of national policy should be made to the end that the peaceful and friendly relations now existing between their peoples may be perpetuated ; " Convinced that all changes in their relations with one another should be sought only by pacific means and be the result of a peaceful and orderly process, and that any signatory Power which shall hereafter seek to promote its national interests by resort to war should be denied the benefits furnished by this treaty." The revised preamble thus gives express recognition to the principle that, if a State resorts to war in violation of the treaty, the other contracting parties are released from their obligations under the treaty to that State. It also provides for participation in the treaty by all parties to the treaties of Locarno, thus making it certain that resort to war, in violation of the Locarno treaties, would also violate the present treaty and release not only the other signatories of the Locarno treaties but also the other' signatories to the anti-war treaty from their obligations to the treaty-breaking State. Moreover, as stated above, my Government would be willing to have included among the original signatories the parties to the neutrality treaties referred to by the Government of the French Republic, although it believes that the interests of those States would be adequately safeguarded if, instead of signing in the first instance, they should choose to adhere to the treaty. In these circumstances, I have the honour to transmit herewith, for the consideration of His Majesty's Government in Great Britain and Northern Ireland, for the consideration of His Majesty's Governments in the Commonwealth of Australia, New Zealand and the Union of South Africa, as well as for the consideration of the Government of India, a draft of a multilateral treaty for the renunciation of war, containing the changes outlined above. I have been instructed to state in this connexion that the Government of the United States is ready to sign at once a treaty in the form herein proposed, and to express the fervent hope that His Majesty's Government in Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and also His Majesty's Governments in the Commonwealth of Australia, New Zealand and the Union of South Africa, as well as the Government of India, will be able promptly to indicate their readiness to accept without qualification or reservation the form of treaty suggested by the United States. If the Governments of Australia, Belgium, Canada, Czechoslovakia, France, Germany, Great Britain, India, the Irish Free State, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Poland, South Africa and the United States can now agree to conclude this anti-war treaty among themselves, my Government is confident that the other nations of the world will, as soon as the treaty comes into force, gladly adhere thereto, and that this simple procedure will bring mankind's age-long aspirations for universal peace nearer to practical fulfilment than ever before in the history of the world. . I have the honour to state, in conclusion, that the Government of the United States would be pleased to be informed, at as early a date as may be convenient, whether His Majesty's Government in Great Britain and Northern Ireland, His Majesty's Governments in the Commonwealth of Australia, New Zealand and the Union of South Africa, as well as the Government of India, are willing to join with the United States and other similarly disposed Governments in signing a definitive treaty for the renunciation of war in the form transmitted herewith. I have, &c., Ray Atherton, Charge d'Affaires ad interim, Enclosure in No. 12. Draft of Proposed Treaty. The President of the United States of America ; the President of the French Republic ; His Majesty the King of the Belgians ; the President of the Czechoslovak Republic ; His Majesty the King of Great Britain, Ireland, and the British Dominions beyond the Seas, Emperor of India; the President of the German Reich ; His Majesty the King of Italy ; His Majesty the Emperor of Japan ; the President of the Republic of Poland ; Deeply sensible of their solemn duty to promote the welfare of mankind; Persuaded that the time has come when a frank renunciation of war as an instrument of national policy should be made, to the end that the peaceful and friendly relations now existing between their peoples may be perpetuated ;

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