500.A15A4/2510: Telegram
The American Delegate (Wilson) to the Secretary of State
[Received May 2—10:15 a.m.]
835. 1. Aghnides informs me that Henderson telephoned yesterday from London stating that he desired to proceed to Paris immediately to discuss disarmament in his capacity as rapporteur for security questions. When so informed the French showed no enthusiasm but finally authorized Aghnides to say that they would be delighted to receive Henderson when Barthou had cleared up some pressing matters and that they would notify Henderson later through the French Embassy in London.
2. In the course of the telephone conversation Henderson informed Aghnides that he had just talked with Simon and had urged him to make the French a generous offer in respect to guarantees. Sir John replied that his Government was desirous of doing its utmost in that connection but that the difficulty was with the United States and the Dominions. After some discussion on this point Henderson requested Aghnides to try to induce the American delegation to consider the possibility of the assimilation of Mr. Davis’ declaration of May 22nd15 to a disarmament convention.
3. Bearing in mind your 130, April 2, 7 p.m. to Norman Davis in London I spoke to Aghnides guardedly and in a personal capacity to the effect that I questioned whether the present disarmament situation was sufficiently tangible to put up the question to my Government as I thought we were dealing with the hypothetical rather than the real. I expressed the personal opinion that Davis’ declaration was satisfactorily comprehensive since any breach of the convention with which we would be willing to concern ourselves would be in all probability so substantial and serious as to constitute a “threat of a breach” to the Kellogg Pact.
4. I gained the clear impression that Aghnides as well as Avenol felt that the situation should crystalize considerably further in Europe before Henderson should talk with the French or before any questions regarding security were put up to the United States.
- Department of State, Press Releases, May 27, 1933, p. 387.↩