Office of the Historian

765.84/4818: Telegram

The Chargé in Italy (Kirk) to the Secretary of State

Rome, July 10, 1936—5 p.m.
[Received July 10—2:55 p.m.]

257. My 254, July 9, 10 a.m.9 Today’s press prominently publishes reports of the British decision to withdraw the home fleet from the Mediterranean10 and the French communication terminating the Anglo-French mutual assistance accord in the Mediterranean. The probability of a British decision to liquidate the other Mediterranean accords is also reported. Correspondents in London attribute the British decision chiefly to the Anglo-Russian-Rumanian difficulties at Montreux11 and a desire to obtain Italian cooperation, and the French decision to the fear that Italy would not agree to attend the Locarno meeting.

The Government spokesman who yesterday took note of Baldwin’s statements in the Commons regarding the character of the mutual assistance accords12 but said that Italy awaited concrete action, makes no comment whatsoever today on the British and French decisions although editorials appear in almost all other newspapers. These emphasize the perfect discipline of the Italian Navy during the past year which made it possible to avoid war in Europe although one newspaper affiliated with the authoritative Giornale d’Italia pays tribute to the navies of both countries for their self-control, intelligence and obedience and says that Italy’s salute to the returning British units must be accompanied by this mutually gratifying recognition. All writers express the hope that the British accords [Page 187] with Turkey, Greece and Yugoslavia will now be terminated and clearly indicate that while Baldwin’s remarks the other day greatly attenuate the scope thereof there can be no half-way solution and that Italy will not resume cooperation until the accords are completely liquidated. The Tribuna also notes the announced increase in the British Mediterranean squadron in a more or less critical tone while other newspapers ignore this aspect.

No announcement is made from Rome of the Italian Government’s intentions regarding its Libyan reenforcements although foreign reports that these will be withdrawn proportionately to British naval demobilization are largely reproduced.

Kirk
  1. Not printed.↩
  2. See statement made by Sir Samuel Hoare in the House of Commons, July 9, 1936, House of Commons, Parliamentary Delates, vol. 314, 5th Series, p. 1397.↩
  3. For correspondence regarding the Straits Conference at Montreux, see pp. 503 ff.↩
  4. Statement by the Prime Minister, July 8, 1936, House of Commons, Parliamentary Delates, vol. 314, 5th Series, p. 1169.↩