711.0012Anti-War/138: Telegram
The Chargé in Great Britain (Atherton) to the Secretary of State
[Received August 4—11:20 a.m.]
179. Sir Ronald Lindsay in conversation today referred to the oral message as set forth in your 176, July 31, 6 p.m.,12 and asked me whether in my opinion this definitely closed the door to Spain’s being included among the original signatories to the pact. I said I had no further information than your telegram above referred to. Whereupon he pointed out that there had appeared in the London Times a statement from Madrid alleging that Primo de Rivera was proceeding to Paris to sign the Kellogg pact as an original signatory and Lindsay felt for his own part that Spanish pride would be very hurt if this turned out to be untrue coupled with the fact that Spain was basing her reentry into the League of Nations upon certain conditions which he thought would be refused. He added that the Spanish Ambassador had been urging the Foreign Office to take any action possible that Spain might be included as an original signatory. Sir Ronald said he had explained in reply that this matter lay entirely between Paris and Washington. Sir Ronald concluded, as reported in my 172, July 26, 1 p.m., that Sir Austen would personally welcome Spain’s inclusion as an original signatory and that he had reason to believe Briand was of this same frame of mind.