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THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

The Multi- lateral Treaty.

(Previous

Reference: Cabinet 37 (28), Con- elusion 6.)

2. The Cabinet met for the purpose of consider- ing a draft despatch to His Majesty's Representa- tive in Washington (Paper C.P.-226 (28)), which had been circulated by the Secretary of State

for Foreign Affairs. In addition to the draft

despatch they had before them the same documents

as at the previous Meeting of the Cabinet referred

to in the margin.

The Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs

drew the attention of the Cabinet to telegram

No.43 from Berlin containing the German reply to

the American proposal, which was in line with the

proposed British reply but contained a somewhat

in the light of obscure phrase which Sir Cecil Hurst, after his

was ath to inter pist conversations with Dr Gaus, interpreted as imply-

ing that the Germans did not agree with the

meaning attached by the American Secretary of

State to Article 16 of the Covenant. Sir Austen

Chamberlain then read a note he had received from

M. de Fleuriau, the French Ambassador, in regard

to the French reply, which appeared to be con-

ceived on the same lines as the draft circulated

by the Secretary of State.

Before the Meeting, the Earl of Balfour

(who was absent in the country on medical advice)

telephoned for consideration by the Cabinet the

following suggestions for corrections to the

Secretary of State's draft:-

Page 1 line 13 from the bottom:

For the phrase "the renunciation of war as an instrument of national policy" substitute "the renunciation of force as an instrument of national policy".

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