500.A15/1049: Telegram
The Minister in Switzerland (Wilson) to the Secretary of State
[Received 4:03 p.m.]
91. I learned in Geneva yesterday that no intention exists of having the Preparatory Commission reconvene within the near future. There is a general opinion that it is necessary to await the results of the naval negotiations.
With regard to the attitude of France on the naval question, the general view is that the French belief in their thesis concerning the interrelation of sea, land and air armaments, has been intensified as a result of the introduction in the Third Committee of Lord Cecil’s resolution with its implied revision of those compromises which were reached at the last session of the Preparatory Commission concerning materiel in stock and trained reserves, as well as on account of the discussion which followed this resolution. The attitude of the French officials in the League Assembly is, I have reason to believe, similar to the attitude expressed in the French newspapers to the effect that [Page 111] any agreement at the Five Power Naval Conference33 as to figures must be merely tentative and must remain subject to a final general Conference’s confirmation. The basis for this determination is the French desire that the League of Nations keep all matters of this kind, as far as possible, within its framework.
I have seen no evidence of a preliminary discussion of their joint problems on the part of the French and Italians.
Gibson has been furnished with a copy of this telegram.
- The forthcoming naval conference at London in 1930.↩