862.00/2775: Telegram
The Ambassador in Germany (Sackett) to the Secretary of State
[Received June 4—9:05 a.m.]
124. Had conversation with Bülow last night and communicated to him the substance of your telegram 62, June 1, 7 p.m.,18 which [Page 297] Prittwitz had not yet reported. Bülow said he appreciated the information and asked particularly if you meant to exclude tariffs to which I replied in the affirmative. The conversation then turned on the new government and the following gives the substance of Bülow’s statements.
The definite intention and expectation in the formation of this government was that it would by no means be transitory but would be distinctly long-lived. It was created to form a right bloc extending from the Economic Party on the right of the Center through the Nazis and it was expected that Papen would be able later to build a bridge to Center Party support. Hitler understands and agrees to this. He is averse to taking over power for a considerable time. Based on the close calculations that can be made from the several recent votes he has no hope of obtaining a clear majority in the forthcoming elections (about 45 percent may be considered the maximum of his expectations). Moreover, he recognizes that in his party there is no proper Cabinet material available. Bülow added that while not all Nazi leaders agreed with these views of Hitler, members of the new Cabinet before accepting their offices received ample promises of support to insure against only transitory life. Bülow thought that the present Cabinet would last well beyond the balance of this year though with a Cabinet so hastily formed it may be necessary to make a few substitutions for purposes of efficiency. In this connection it may be noted that Schleicher is reported to have stated yesterday that this Cabinet would have a 4-year life.
Bülow stated that it was desired to have general elections as early as practicable as it was felt that this would be best calculated to obviate any surprising changes in voting results (this morning’s press forecasts date as July 24).
In commenting on the members of the Cabinet Billow stressed Papen’s efforts towards cooperation with the French and spoke of him as a strong man but lacking in the experience and judgment of Bruening.
With reference to Lausanne,19 (see your 61, June 1, 6 p.m.)20 Bülow said that the permanent delegates would be Neurath and himself; the Chancellor would go for several days and from time to time the Minister of Finance and Economics.
Without saying anything definite Bülow implied that German foreign policy as exemplified at Geneva and prepared for Lausanne will not undergo any material change.
- Not printed.↩
- For correspondence concerning the Lausanne Conference, see vol. i, pp. 636 ff.↩
- Not printed.↩