862.20/956
Memorandum by the Chief of the Division of Western European Affairs (Moffat)
The Rumanian Minister84 came in to inquire whether or not we were going to send a formal protest to Germany against her unilateral violation of our separate peace treaty of 1921. He told me that Mr. Phillips85 had some weeks ago indicated to him that we might send such a protest at a later date.
I told the Minister that when the Secretary had issued his public statement to the press on March 21 [March 22],86 we had not decided whether a note would be necessary. However, we had since ascertained [Page 331] that the press statement had received wide circulation not only in this country but abroad. In certain countries we knew it had even been circulated to the members of the Government. We accordingly felt that we had accomplished our major purpose of having our point of view adequately made known and in the circumstances would probably let the matter rest at that.
The Minister then explained to me his thesis that if Germany continued her aggressions, it would be due to a belief on her part that England would not stand firm with France in opposing them. He said that he was concerned at the manifestations of public opinion in England and the United States. He felt inclined to foresee in Anglo-Saxon countries an instinctive sympathy with the apparent under-dog without using critical faculties in the determination of who was the under-dog. For instance, if the European Powers should forge an iron ring around Germany, Germany would appear to be the victim standing alone against many, whereas in reality the ring would only be forged because of fear that Germany was trying to destroy the status quo and take other people’s possessions. I told him that I thought there was always a certain section of public opinion which might react in that way, but that to judge from the editorials and press articles which I had been able to read of late there was still considerable fear of the consequences of Germany’s present policy.