711.60 f 12Anti-War/33: Telegram
The Minister in Czechoslovakia (Einstein) to the Secretary of State
[Received 9 p.m.]
62. My telegram number [61?] July 10 [19], 1 p.m.3 Text of note from Minister for Foreign Affairs:
“Mr. Minister: I have had the honor of receiving Your Excellency’s letter of June 23rd by which the Government of the United States invites the Government of the Czechoslovak Republic to sign the proposed treaty for the renunciation of war. The same invitation was transmitted to our representative in Washington. The letter contains in addition to the integral text of the proposed treaty a commentary on the text which explains the remarks of the French Government and indicates in detail the meaning and the significance which the Government of the United States attaches to the multilateral treaty in the event of the treaty’s signature, ratification, and enactment.
I have the honor to transmit to Your Excellency by this note the reply of the Czechoslovak [Government].
- 1.
- First I would very respectfully thank the Government of the United States for having addressed its invitation to us. From the beginning we have followed the negotiations between the French and American Governments on the subject of the pact for the renunciation of war with the greatest sympathy and attention, and were ready at any moment to associate ourselves with this noble undertaking, which marks a memorable date in the history of the world after the war. In our negotiations which I have had the honor, during the last few months, to carry on with the representatives of the United States, France and Great Britain, I have several times emphasized the importance of this act and the political necessity of associating thereto also the other powers and especially those who have assumed obligations by their negotiations at Locarno in 1925. The Government of the United States, agreeing fully in this with the other powers, has been good enough to recognize the justice of this point of view and [Page 122] addressed to us its invitation. The Czechoslovak Government attributes thereto a considerable political importance and warmly thanks the Washington Government.
- 2.
- In accordance with the negotiations prior to the signing of the treaty, as well as by the changes made in the preamble from the original text, and from the explanations contained in Your Excellency’s letter of June 23, 1928, it is clear that there is nothing in this treaty in opposition either to the provisions of the Covenant of the League of Nations, nor with those of the Locarno treaties, or the neutrality treaties, nor, in general, with the obligations contained in existing treaties which the Czechoslovak Republic has hitherto made.
- 3.
- From the explanations given in Your Excellency’s letter it is further brought out that any violation of the multilateral treaty by one of the contracting parties would free entirely the other signatory powers from their obligations towards the power which might have violated the stipulations of this treaty; it is furthermore apparent that the right of self-defense is in no way weakened nor restricted by the obligations of the new treaty and that each power is entirely free to defend itself according to its will and its necessities against attack and foreign invasion.
- 4.
- As thus defined both in the text of the preamble and in the statements of Your Excellency’s letter, the goal of the new treaty, according to the opinion of the Czechoslovak Republic, is to consolidate and maintain peaceful relations and peaceful and friendly collaboration under the contractual terms in which these have today been established between the interested nations. By their signature, the contracting parties will renounce war as an instrument of their national policy aimed to satisfy their selfish interests. This would be an immense benefit for humanity; and the Government of the Czechoslovak Republic rejoices to see that the American Government is ready to offer participation in this treaty, on the one hand to the powers who are parties to the neutrality treaties and on the other to all other powers in order to invest it with as universal a character as possible.
- 5.
- The Government of the Czechoslovak Republic, having noted everything contained in Your Excellency’s note, expresses its point of view on this subject as shown in the foregoing, thus confirming the explanations of your note of June 23, 1928. It is very happy to be able to reply in the affirmative to the invitation of the Washington Government and, thanking it again and most particularly for its generous efforts toward consolidating and maintaining world peace, declares that it is now ready to sign the text of the multilateral treaty in accordance with the proposition of His Excellency, Mr. Kellogg, as set forth in Your Excellency’s letter of June 23, 1928.
I venture to add that the Government of the Czechoslovak Republic gladly associates itself with all those who have rendered warm homage to the noble manifestation for world peace made by the Government of the United States and that the foreign policy of our country sees therein the realization of the ends which it has pursued for ten years.
Pray accept, Mr. Minister, the expressions of my highest consideration. (Signed) Eduard Beneš.”
- Not printed.↩