852.00/3134
Memorandum by the Special
Assistant to the Secretary of State and Chief of the
Division of Western European Affairs (Dunn)
[Washington,] December 4,
1936.
The British Ambassador came this afternoon to see me to transmit a
message to this Government from the British Government. This was to
the effect that the British and French Governments have approached
the Governments of Germany, Italy, Portugal and the Soviet Union
with a view to (1) having those four nations join with
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the British and French
Governments in a renunciation forthwith of any action which might be
likely to bring about intervention by a foreign nation in the
Spanish conflict; (2) having those four nations join with them in a
stronger and more effective prevention of the sending of supplies
and equipment to Spain; (3) initiating steps with a view to having
the six interested Governments join in an offer of mediation in an
effort to terminate the conflict in Spain.
The British memorandum25 further stated that it was the hope of the British
and French Governments that our Government could make some possible
statement of general sympathy with the proposed steps and suggested
that in addition to such a statement it would be of great value if
we could, through our representatives in the capitals of the four
Governments to be approached, say a word in favor of those
Governments participating in this mediatory effort.
The Ambassador went on to read to me the sense of a strictly
confidential instruction which he had received at the same time as
the text of his Government’s memorandum in which his Government
stated that while it was not expected that the United States would
take any active participation in this proposal for mediation, they
did attach great importance to some public statement in support
thereof and to our conveying through our representatives in the
capitals concerned an expression in favor of participation by those
Governments in the mediatory effort. (The Ambassador stated that he
was instructed that he should not, of course, urge the United States
Government to do anything which it might consider embarrassing.)
I told the Ambassador that I would report his message immediately to
the Acting Secretary the following morning as he had requested.
[Annex]
Representations by the British and French
Governments to the Governments of Germany, U. S. S. R.,
Italy and Portugal
- 1.
- The British and French Governments have exchanged views on
the situation created for civilians in Spain and have
arrived at the following conclusions.
- 2.
- In the interest of peace, of the preservation of European
civilization and of humanity the Powers mainly concerned are
bound to concert together with a view to saving Europe from
the dangers involved in all forms of foreign political help
in the internal struggle in Spain. To this end they must
seek in common for further means of contributing more
actively to the solution of the present crisis.
- 3.
- The two Governments note that the Governments of Germany,
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Italy,
Portugal and the U. S. S. R. have like themselves by their
adhesion to the principle of non-intervention and by their
participation in the work of the London Committee affirmed
their intention of subordinating all other political
considerations to that of the supreme interest of the
maintenance of peace.
- 4.
- Impressed by the great importance of maintaining and
continuing this attitude before the world the British and
French Governments suggest that it is imperative that the
other interested Governments should, with a view to the
preservation of peace, join with them at once in declaring
their absolute determination to renounce forthwith all
direct or indirect action that might in any way be
calculated to lead to foreign intervention in relation to
the conflict in Spain.
- 5.
- The six Powers might also take this opportunity of
announcing their intention of instructing their
representatives on the London Committee to proceed at once
to the consideration of immediate measures for
legitimatizing an effective control of all war material
destined for Spain.
- 6.
- In view of the considerations referred to in paragraph two
above the two Governments further feel that a renewed effort
should be made in the direction of relieving the troubled
conditions prevailing in Spain.
- 7.
- To this end they are consequently moved to approach the
other interested Governments with an invitation to join them
in an endeavour to put an end to the armed conflict in Spain
by means of an offer of mediation with the object of
enabling that country to give united expression to its
national will.
- 8.
- If this proposal is accepted in principle presumably the
six Governments would consider in further consultation
together the form which their mediatory action would
take.
