740.0011 Mutual Guarantee (Eastern Locarno)/157
The Ambassador in Germany (Dodd) to the Secretary of State
[Received June 14.]
Sir: Through the courtesy of the Foreign Office, this Embassy has been supplied with a memorandum containing the text of the German views as to the nature of an acceptable “Eastern Pact.” It is understood [Page 291] that this memorandum or its contents was submitted to Sir John Simon on the occasion of his visit to Berlin and that the other interested powers are aware of the contents. It contemplates ten year pacts for non-aggression, arbitration and conciliation. Should an act of force appear imminent, the high contracting parties are to confer together as to steps for preserving peace. The Foreign Office expects an early reply from France and other countries. The following is the translation of the memorandum:—
In the opinion of the German Government a pact could be concluded by the interested powers in regard to eastern European questions, in pursuance of the basic idea (in Ausführung des Grundgedankens) of the Kellogg Pact on the following basis:
- 1)
- The contracting powers will not attack and particularly will not apply force against each other.
- 2)
- The contracting powers will, in so far as this has not already taken place, conclude arbitration treaties (Schiedsgericht) and conciliation treaties (Vergleichsverträge) with each other to provide for obligatory arbitration procedure for juridical disputes (Rechtsstreitigkeiten), and for political conflicts concilation (Vergleichsverfahren) procedure with a view to bringing about an amicable solution.
- 3)
- Should one of the contracting powers consider himself to be threatened either by an attack (Angriff) or by an application of force (Gewaltanwendung) on the part of another treaty power, upon his demand a conference of the government representatives of all the other treaty powers shall assemble to take counsel (beraten) as to the situation and should the occasion present itself, as to suitable (geeigneten) steps for assuring peace.
- 4)
- If in spite of the above-mentioned agreements (Vereinbarungen) hostilities should break out between two contracting powers, the other contracting powers bind themselves not to support the aggressor in any manner, either economically, financially or militarily.
- 5)
- The treaty is to be concluded for a period of ten years with the possibility of extention.
Respectfully yours,