500.A15a3/1641: Telegram
The Minister in Switzerland (Wilson) to the Secretary of State
[Received 9:50 p.m.]
146. I have been informed by Craigie that he had a talk with Massigli in which he told the latter that the last proposal by France to Italy was utterly unacceptable to the British. In this connection Massigli indicated a strong wish that an accord might be reached in this matter before the opening of the Disarmament Conference; and he made the suggestion to Craigie that he should use the agreement of March 1 as the basis, working into it the maximum of concessions possible in the direction of meeting the interpretation placed by France on that document and then put it up to him as a proposal. Massigli said that there was no more time for bargaining about this matter, and that if such an offer were made he would consider it final. The fact that these conversations are a last attempt was emphasized by Craigie, who said that if they were unsuccessful the problem would have to go to the General Disarmament Conference in February.
A special emphasis was placed by Massigli on two difficulties which have come up, one having to do with Japan and the other with America. The first difficulty concerned a technical breach of the agreement arrived at through the Washington Treaty through the fact that the French would be obliged at the time their third cruiser of 23,000 tons was completed to scrap two vessels.
The Japanese were bothered by this because of the fact that they were afraid the question would have to be put once more before the Japanese Privy Council. The difficulty in regard to the United States was said by Massigli to be the fact that it would be extremely awkward to submit to his Parliament any plan by which construction under the Washington Treaty would be limited to 23,000 tons because it would be said that the American Government maintained the right to construct units up to 35,000 tons.
[Page 431]Then Craigie mentioned an idea to me which he said he had not mentioned to anybody else nor would he do so. Although he does not know whether the previous American attitude with respect to the maximum size of battleships has been modified at all, he wonders, if there has been such a modification, whether it might be possible for the Department to instruct me to inform Massigli (at the same time that the British and Italians make him their new offer) that the United States Government was willing to take up the matter of a possible reduction in the 35,000-ton maximum unit now provided for.
The present attitude of our Government in this regard is not known to me; but in my opinion should we adopt a proposition such as the above it should be done in such a manner that our position at the General Disarmament Conference would not be prejudiced needlessly. In case it should be found to be feasible to make an offer of this kind, we might safeguard our position by stating that assurances of the kind desired would be given France only if an agreement were reached by France with the Italians and British, and that should such an agreement not be reached our liberty of action at the General Disarmament Conference was fully reserved.
One week only of the Assembly presumably remains, so that the negotiators must urgently attack this problem. In consequence, it is requested that I be advised as soon as possible in the matter.