765.84/3214: Telegram
The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Bingham) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 21—11:40 a.m.]
637. My 632, December 19, 10 a.m.31 The strength of the general stiffening in tone here for supporting League policy and all it implies is probably a first reaction upon Hoare resignation. The morning [Page 723] press report denotes considerable speculation to the new Foreign Secretary emphasizing that both Sir Austen Chamberlain and Eden are traditionally strong supporters of the League. Meanwhile, in a speech at Birmingham yesterday the Chancellor of the Exchequer32 stated inter alia “we must go back to the policy of sanctions and in due course I trust that the nations of the League will show, as I believe they will show, that they are prepared to make themselves ready to resist any attack that may be made on any one of their number”. This is of particular interest in view of the report that Eden brought back from Geneva assurances from several member states they were prepared fully to implement the League Covenant in the matter of collective action.
I am informed from usually reliable sources that the Foreign Minister has been advised from Rome that there is no reason to believe Mussolini’s determination to proceed with the Abyssinian venture is in any way weakened and that Laval quite frankly stated on his return from Geneva that he remained adamant on the question of oil sanctions and, in spite of Mr. Baldwin’s declaration in the House, he, Laval, did not regard the Anglo-French peace proposals as dead.