852.00/4054: Telegram
The Consul at Geneva (Gilbert) to the Acting Secretary of State
[Received December 10—3:10 p.m.]
506. (1) At a private meeting of the Council this afternoon, the Spanish civil conflict and the Franco-Turkish affair36 were placed on the agenda, the former to be considered tomorrow morning and the latter probably on December 14.
Only Spain and Sweden are represented by their Foreign Ministers, which in respect of the Spanish question is regarded as obviously evidencing the desire of the Council states to be involved as little as possible and in particular to be in the position more easily to evade making commitments.
(2) In association with the virtually expressed desire of London and Paris to limit League action in this affair, note is taken here of the Anglo-French joint démarche of December 4 to Berlin, Rome, Lisbon [Page 608] and Moscow soliciting non-intervention in Spain and suggesting an offer of mediation between the parties to the conflict. In certain League circles this action is resented both as prejudicing in advance the action of the Council and as tantamount to a public disregard by the two chief League powers of the international status and purpose of the League and as an assertion of its impotence, which are regarded as prejudicial to its future. The press stresses accounts to the effect that the Anglo-French démarche was officially communicated to Washington.
- Franco-Turkish dispute over the Sanjaq of Alexandretta.↩