852.00/3989: Telegram
The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Bingham) to the Acting Secretary of State
[Received December 4—1:20 p.m.]
595. I am informed that exchanges of views which have taken place recently through diplomatic channels resulted in Anglo-French agreement last evening, that the British and French Ambassadors in Rome, Berlin and Moscow should during this week-end approach those Governments [Page 586] asking their cooperation with the French and British Governments in an attempt to check the Civil War in Spain; this attempt to take the form of the representations by these five powers to both the Madrid Government and the insurgents. I do not understand that either the French or British Governments are hopeful that this démarche in Rome, Berlin and Moscow will be successful, but the British and French Governments are anxious for their own records that such an action should be taken especially before the meeting of the Council on December 10.
I learned from the French Embassy that the French Government is particularly apprehensive over the desire of the Spanish Government for the Council meeting in that the Spanish Government may attempt, supported by smaller governments and nations not directly concerned, to set up a League Committee in Geneva in connection with the Spanish situation. The Spanish Government anticipated that there would be no representative on such a League Committee either of Italy or Germany. Both France and England are anxious to avoid such a situation and do not wish the League Council to go farther than taking note of the Spanish Government’s statement and at the same time reinforcing the position and authority of the London Committee upon which the great nations most concerned in the Spanish situation (except for Spain itself) are represented.
Copies to Paris, Bern and Geneva.