852.00/4043: Telegram
The Ambassador in France (Bullitt) to the Acting Secretary of State
[Received December 9—9:35 p.m.]
1223. The Argentine Ambassador, Le Breton, called on me this evening to say that he had received yesterday a telegram from Saavedra Lamas asking him his opinion of how an intervention in the Spanish conflict by the Buenos Aires Conference would be received in Europe.
He said that he had called on Delbos who had informed him for the first time with regard to the French-British démarche which was dealt with in my telegram 1213, December 8, 5 p.m. Le Breton added that Delbos had told him that the Soviet Government had now accepted definitely; that Italy and Germany seemed not too unfavorable; that Portugal had not replied.
Le Breton said that he personally would view with complete disfavor any attempt by his Government to intervene in Spain; that it [Page 600] would be easy to begin such intervention but difficult to end it. He did not believe that intervention at this time could be successful and would so advise his Government. He added that this judgment of his was in no way motivated by a partiality to one side or the other in the Spanish conflict. Whatever sympathy he might have had for either party had been completely eliminated by the brutality of both sides. He felt merely that it would be most unwise for the countries of the Western Hemisphere to take responsibilities in the Spanish imbroglio.