500.A4D/273
Memorandum by the Secretary of State of a Conversation With the German Ambassador (Von Prittwitz)
After talking this afternoon with the Ambassador about other matters, I brought up the ratification of the Nine-Power Treaty by Germany. I reminded him that I had talked with him before about it and I thought also with Dr. Bruening when he was Chancellor, and [Page 376] that they had both given me to understand that they would try to bring up the ratification of that Treaty this winter by the Diet. I said I thought if they could do that, it would have a very beneficial effect upon the general situation at Geneva. He said he would take it up with his government. He told me that naturally it was very difficult to get anything done now in their Parliament in the absence of the establishment of a Parliamentary Cabinet, but it might just happen that when they could not agree on other matters they could agree on this. He said that at any rate he would try. I told him I was glad to hear this because I felt it was very important that now the Lytton Report had made a firm basis for action at Geneva, there should be a temperate but firm decision made in the matter and that such action by Germany would conduce to that end.