893.113/1471
The Ambassador in Great Britain (Mellon) to the Secretary of State
[Received March 25.]
Sir: Referring to the Embassy’s despatch No. 697 of February 28, 1933, concerning the British embargo on arms for China and Japan, I have the honor to report that Mr. Baldwin69 announced to the House [Page 240] of Commons on March 13 that the Government had decided to raise the embargo as from that date.
In making this announcement, the President of the Council pointed out that the embargo had been a provisional arrangement pending the opportunity of international consultation and decision, but that reports from the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary revealed that there was no prospect of any international agreement upon the subject in the near future. In the circumstances, it was useless for the British Government alone to maintain the embargo. Nevertheless the Government remained firmly convinced of the necessity for such an agreement, and it was their intention vigorously to pursue the conversations already begun in an effort to arrive at a form of agreement which would in the future secure uniformity of action on this important subject.
The Hansard text giving Mr. Baldwin’s announcement on the embargo, as well as his replies to other questions asked on this subject, is being forwarded with the Embassy’s press clippings.
The Government’s decision to lift the embargo has not caused much surprise, owing to the unpopular reception accorded to the Government’s original announcement regarding the application of the embargo. (See Embassy’s despatch No. 697 of February 28.) During the brief period in which it was in force, the arms embargo has been subjected to a vast amount of unfavorable criticism, not only by the Opposition press but by papers which support the Government. Both the idealists and the realists objected to it, although for different reasons. The prevailing view is that the measure was adopted precipitately and contrary to the previously declared policy of the Government.
Single copies of the Times and Daily Mail editorials of March 14, commending the Government for raising the embargo, have been forwarded with the Embassy’s press clippings.
Respectfully yours,
Counselor of Embassy
- Stanley A. Baldwin, British Parliamentary leader of the Conservative Party.↩