Office of the Historian

724.3415/3955: Telegram

The Ambassador in Great Britain (Bingham) to the Secretary of State

London, July 26, 1934—noon.
[Received July 26—8:15 a.m.]

433. Foreign Office made further details available this morning which enables me to supplement my 432, July 25, 2 p.m.

1.
British have issued no licenses for export of arms and ammunition to Bolivia or Paraguay since May 9th, this prohibition extending to all contracts even though executed or paid for in whole or in part before that date.
2.
Likewise manufacture under current contracts is not proceeding.
3.
In three cases however, there are exceptions to paragraphs 1 and 2 above. Where contracts existed previous to May 9th and actual licenses for export thereunder had been issued prior to May 9th manufacture is proceeding for these contracts and certain shipments have taken place since May 9th. In these instances however, all administrative requirements had been fulfilled by the shipper before May 9th.
4.
Foreign Office stated that British Government are now prepared to enforce a complete embargo and to prohibit all shipments even under those licenses issued before May 9th. Before doing so the Foreign Office desire to learn how far the League of Nations are able to satisfy the British Government that those countries who have already accepted the embargo in principle are prepared to conform in practice, particularly Belgium and Czechoslovakia who it was stated confidentially are currently shipping.
Bingham