500.C001/1291: Telegram
The Consul at Geneva (Bucknell) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 10—2 p.m.]
373. Rome Embassy’s 507, December 9, 6 p.m.99 In a conversation with a prominent member of the League Secretariat this morning he [Page 195] stated that while official confirmation was lacking reports respecting Italian withdrawal from the League were probably well founded. In his opinion this move would have no immediate effect upon the League as such since it would merely mean a juridical confirmation of present Italian lack of participation in League activities. He felt, however, that Italian withdrawal was subject of greatest importance in the broader field of world politics and would have extensive effects in the long run.
He felt it too soon to appraise the international effect of the Italian action but thought that the attitude of France and Great Britain will largely determine the extent of the consequences. He was apprehensive that this action might be followed by a renewal of Italian intervention in Spain at a time when France about reached the limits of concessions she could make in the Spanish affair. He was also concerned with the effect this action might have upon the policy of the small states members of the League and referred in particular to what he described as strong German-Italian influence in South America. He believed that there would be no hope of a political settlement in Europe until the great powers, particularly Great Britain and France, made a show of strength, vis-à-vis Italy, Germany and Japan and that the longer matters were permitted to drift the more difficult it would be to check the present movement of disintegration both as regards the League and the general world situation.
As to the reason for Italian withdrawal at this time he suggested that this might have resulted from German pressure in view of his belief that German aspirations as expressed to Lord Halifax had not been warmly received in London and Paris. Furthermore, this action definitely implements and emphasizes the German-Italian-Japanese Axis.
- Not printed.↩