Message to the Senate Transmitting the International Load Lines Convention.

To the Senate:

With a view to receiving the advice and consent of the Senate to ratification of the international load-line convention and its accompanying final protocol, I transmit herewith a certified copy of those instruments, signed on July 5, 1930, by the respective plenipotentiaries of the United States of America and of 29 other governments participating in the international load-line conference which met at London on May 20, 1930, for the purpose of formulating international rules and regulations to determine the load lines of merchant vessels engaged in international trade.

The convention and protocol are accompanied by the final act of the conference signed at the same time, which I transmit for the information of the Senate. This act embraces a declaration by the delegates of the United States of America and certain recommendations of the conference. The declaration made by the delegates of the United States is designed as a safeguard against any possible misconstruction of the position of the United States that its participation in a multilateral convention with the regime now functioning in Russia known as the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, does not operate as a recognition of that regime by the Government of the United States.

I also transmit an accompanying report on the convention submitted by the Secretary of State.

HERBERT HOOVER