Office of the Historian

740.0011 Four Power Pact/19: Telegram

The Chargé in Cheat Britain (Atherton) to the Secretary of State 25

London, April 1, 1933—11 a.m.
[Received April 1—10:05 a.m.]

65. From Davis. Department’s 61, March 31, 6 p.m. Following is text of proposed four power pact as given to me by Grandi:

Agreement of understanding and cooperation between the four western powers.

Article No. 1

The four western powers, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, undertake to carry out between themselves an effective policy of cooperation in order to ensure the maintenance of peace in the spirit of the Kellogg Pact and of the “No resort to force” pact envisaged by the declaration signed by the above powers on the 11th December 1932. They undertake furthermore to follow such course of action as to induce, if necessary, third parties, so far as Europe is concerned, to adopt the same policy of peace.

Article No. 2

The four powers confirm that, while the provisions of the Covenant of the League of Nations embody a scrupulous respect for all treaty obligations as a means of achieving international peace and security, they also contemplate the possibility of the revision of the treaties of peace when conditions arise that might lead to a conflict between nations. In order to regulate and define the application of this principle of revision, the four powers declare that such application should take place through agreements based on the mutual recognition of the interests of all concerned and within the framework of the League of Nations.

Article No. 3

The four powers reiterate their resolve to cooperate in the Disarmament Conference26 with the other states there represented in seeking to work out a convention which shall effect a substantial reduction and a limitation of armaments with provision for future [Page 402] revision with a view to further reduction. But, should the Disarmament Conference lead to only partial results, France, Great Britain and Italy declare that principle of equality of right, must have a practical value, and Germany agrees that such principle of equality of rights shall only be put into practice by degrees under agreements to which each of the four powers must be a party.

Article No. 4

The application of such principle of equality of rights to Austria, Hungary and Bulgaria shall be governed by the same conditions as those expressed in the case of Germany in the preceding article and only under agreement to which each of the four powers must be a party.

Article No. 5

The four powers pledge themselves to cooperate in the work of finding solutions for the economic [problems?] which now face their respective nations and the world as a whole.

Article No. 6

The present agreement of understanding and cooperation will, if necessary, be submitted for the approval of the parliaments of the contracting powers within 3 months of the date of its signatures. Its duration shall be for 10 years. If no notice is given before the end of the ninth year by any of the parties of an intention to treat it as terminated at the end of such 10 years, it shall be regarded as renewed for another 10 years.

Article No. 7

The present agreement shall be, in accordance with the Covenant of the League of Nations, [registered?] at the Secretariat of the League of Nations.

  • [Davis]
  • Atherton
  1. Copy transmitted to President Roosevelt.↩
  2. For correspondence concerning the Conference for the Reduction and limitation of Armaments, see pp. 1 ff.↩