765.84/3018: Telegram
The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Bingham) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 11—12:35 p.m.]
623. In the House of Commons last night Eden gave the first official general outline of the nature of the Franco-British proposals which Vansittart reported to the press in Paris later in the evening had been despatched to Rome and Addis Ababa. Last week strong pressure from industrial and financial interests was brought to bear on the British Government to avoid a conflict, and Laval insisted that Mussolini would never negotiate under the threat of oil sanctions and therefore a suitable proposition must be made before December 12th. Laval at the same time urged that a British Cabinet officer, preferably Mr. Baldwin, should come to Paris that he might consult with him on the negotiations he was already conducting with the Italian Ambassador. Consequently when the Foreign Secretary agreed to visit Laval on Saturday he knew the implications, and on Sunday, with the Prime Minister’s specific consent, accepted the general content of the Franco-Italian proposals. Eden’s position in the Cabinet became almost untenable. Upon urgent persuasion of the Prime Minister, and also allegedly the King, he did not resign his office and will go to Geneva today to make the best face he can for the benefit of the strong group constituting the League of Nations Union in Great Britain which includes all shades of political opinion.
[Page 701]Mr. Baldwin offered no case for the Government in Parliament last evening, but hinted at a case he could make at the proper time which he “would guarantee not a man would go into the lobby against”.
While there is no specific information available, the following is the general interpretation: European peace must be based on the League of Nations, which has been threatened by Italy and which does not include Germany, or on the other hand upon agreement between the principal European powers with the hope that if such agreement is made outside the framework of today’s League, it may eventually be brought within the framework of tomorrow’s League. Consequently there is foundation for the belief that Vansittart, who preceded Sir Samuel Hoare to Paris last week, discussed the Anglo-French-German situation, not only from the political angle but from the possibility of a reconsideration of some arms limitation agreement before England enters on competitive rearmament.
The full repercussions of this Cabinet policy are still impossible at present but there is much criticism of the Government from all shades of political opinion.