765.84/454
Memorandum by the Chief of the Division of Western European Affairs (Dunn)
The French Ambassador41 came in this morning to take up several minor matters and at the end of his conversation he asked if he might have a copy of the text of the Secretary’s note to the Emperor of Ethiopia of July 5. I gave him a copy of the State Department Press Release42 containing the text of the note. Mr. de Laboulaye said that he understood thoroughly the position taken in the note and further remarked that the Italian Government in his opinion had undertaken a rather more far-reaching venture in Ethiopia than he thought they realized. He further stated that the situation seemed to be requiring the expedition of many more soldiers from Italy than it was advisable to have absent from the continent at the present time. I had the impression that the Ambassador was very guarded in his comment on the Italo-Ethiopian affair.