500.A15A4 Steering Committee/201: Telegram
The Chargé in France (Marriner) to the Secretary of State
[Received 7:55 p.m.]
683. From Norman Davis. Herriot and Boncour together last night to tie up the conversations of the two preceding days and to consider in more detail the substantive points, as cabled in my telegram from Geneva,98 which might be included in a preliminary convention. Neither Herriot nor Boncour seemed disturbed at the points listed. While stating that some would undoubtedly raise difficulties, they indicated a willingness to consider them carefully and sympathetically and they very definitely stated that they were convinced of the wisdom of formulating a preliminary convention along the lines discussed. Boncour again suggested that the real difficulty lay in the changes which Germany might claim in connection with the reorganization of the Reichswehr; that is to say, either decreasing the period of service or supplementing the present Reichswehr with a civilian army. He did not, however, indicate an unalterable opposition to making some concessions to Germany. Final success will of course depend upon the attitude of Germany and how far France will go to meet their demands.
It will also be necessary of course to secure British approval. While I have not as yet gone fully into the matter with Simon, his preliminary reaction was favorable. Although he has committed himself rather far to the principle of German equality and thus may find himself in some difficulty in accepting the solution at present proposed, I do not anticipate any trouble from this source. As MacDonald and Simon arrive here tomorrow afternoon I am remaining over for a talk with them and we shall all leave tomorrow, Thursday, night for Geneva. I am just informed that Herriot has arranged to get a postponement of a discussion of the debt question in the Chamber of Deputies and that he is now free also to leave tomorrow night. I discussed the idea of a preliminary treaty with Tyrrell who returned from London last night and he was most enthusiastic about it.
[Page 488]Tyrrell had conversations with MacDonald, Baldwin and Simon who were chiefly occupied with the debt question, and while he did not tell me just what their decision had been, told me I need not have any fear about a satisfactory handling of the December 15th payment. [Davis.]