852.00/6124: Telegram
The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Bingham) to the Secretary of State
[Received July 31—10:22 a.m.]
520. The meeting yesterday of the Sub-Committee on Non-intervention in Spain ended in a deadlock as was expected. A high official of the Foreign Office said this morning that from the welter of acrimonious discussions it is quite clear that three main opinions on the British proposal have now crystallized:
- (1)
- The Russian: the quite uncompromising stand that belligerent rights do not concern the Committee and that what is essential is that the despatch of men and raw material to Spain shall cease and that all so-called volunteers be immediately withdrawn. When this has been accomplished any question of recognition of belligerency may possibly be examined providing there is any point in so doing. The Russian stand against recognition of belligerency is perhaps the most serious obstacle to agreement.
- (2)
- The German-Italian: the withdrawal of the volunteers and simultaneous acceptance of belligerency is agreeable in principle. Actually the Germans and Italians are demanding that the belligerency of Franco be recognized in any case and that the volunteers be withdrawn subsequently when it suits the convenience of Franco.
- (3)
- The Anglo-French: that the withdrawal of volunteers be faithfully carried out as soon as possible and willingness to recognize a state of belligerency when the withdrawal is making real progress.
The Foreign [Office] official says that he refuses to be unduly discouraged by the continuing deadlock and even hopes that after further reflection, the Russian attitude may be more yielding and the Germans and Italians more inclined to admit the interrelation between the withdrawal of volunteers and the recognition of Franco’s belligerency. The Foreign Office official further affirmed his belief in the usefulness of the Non-intervention Committee and said the mere fact that it has existed for over a year has materially aided in restricting the conflict to the Spanish peninsula. Moreover, it is evidence, convincing to him, that no one of the principal countries represented on the Committee, even those who have proved most difficult, really desires abandonment in principle of the nonintervention scheme, although the Russians and the Germans and Italians in particular, he says, have used the Non-intervention Committee as an arena for airing views to serve political purposes of their governments at home.
Recent conversations between the Prime Minister and Italian Ambassador together with a statement of the Prime Minister in Parliament that Great Britain desires complete friendliness with Italy to be restored, have received wide publicity and may help to create an [Page 369] atmosphere more favorable to Italian cooperation in the work of the Non-intervention Committee.
Eden declined categorically in the House of Commons last night to give a pledge that belligerent rights would not be accorded without the previous approval of Parliament. He said that if the nonintervention plan finally collapsed the British would act in consultation with France.
Halifax will be acting Foreign Secretary for the next 3 weeks while Eden is on leave.