462.00R296/5037
Memorandum by the Acting Secretary of State of a Conversation With the German Chargé (Leitner)
Mr. Leitner called, ostensibly to ask a question about our attitude toward budgetary limitation of armament. I told him that we had made no change in our feeling that direct limitation was the best method. What he really wanted to ask was about the progress of our negotiations with the French. I told him that I felt we were working very hard for Germany and that it was up to Germany, if possible, to make some gesture which would assist us. I said that, of course, we could not take any part whatever in political questions and that we had asserted with the greatest vigor that the President’s plan should not be used by anyone for bargaining purposes. I told him, however, that, as he knew by his first question, we were immensely interested in the progress of disarmament and that we felt very strongly that, if the German Government wanted to cut out the battleship which they were constructing, it would help immensely the whole disarmament problem. I added to this that the American people were keenly in favor of the President’s plan, which entailed great sacrifices for them, partly because they wanted to help out Germany, but that, if they should later, when enthusiasm had worn off, get the idea that Germany was spending any part of the money so saved to build a new battleship, the whole effect would be gone. I told Mr. Leitner that I had passed on this same idea to Mr. Sackett. Mr. Leitner seemed impressed and rather disturbed.