740.0011 Mutual Guarantee (Locarno)/915
The Minister in the Netherlands (Emmet) to the Secretary of State
No. 825
The
Hague, July 20, 1937.
[Received July 27.]
Sir: I have the honor to enclose herewith a
translation of a memorandum which Jhr. A. M. Snouck Hurgronje, Acting
Minister for Foreign Affairs, handed to me Saturday in the course of an
informal conversation regarding European conditions. This memorandum sets
forth the latest wrinkle of Dutch policy toward the question of a Western
European Security Pact. It will be noted that whereas the Netherlands does
not wish to sign any document guaranteeing its neutrality or territorial
integrity (see also despatch No. 666, of February 19, 193736), the Netherlands would view
favorably an agreement between Germany, Great Britain, and France to the
effect that they would consider a violation of the Belgian and Netherland
frontiers as a violation of their own frontiers.
Jhr. Snouck explained to me that this plan, the substance of which is known
locally as “the Snouck plan” is in point of fact a policy which has been
worked out by high officials of the Foreign Office in mutual consultation
and that there is no reason why it should be given his name rather than that
of any other Foreign Office official. He intimated that it had been
favorably received by the Foreign Offices of the Great Powers mentioned in
it. Belgium, however, is understood to be desirous of a more formal
guarantee of its security. The Netherlands has made it clear that it will
sign no pact guaranteeing something which it already considers axiomatic. It
is evident that this Dutch suggestion is an effort to avoid the charge that
the Netherlands is hindering the negotiation of a Western European Security
Pact.
On July 13th, the Vaderland published a long
commentary on this so-called Snouck plan. The writer was obviously closely
acquainted with the plan in as much as the article ended in an almost word
for word transcription of it. According to this article, Germany has
declined to accept the plan.
Respectfully yours,
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[Enclosure—Translation]
The Netherlands Department of
Foreign Affairs to the American
Legation
The
Hague, July 19, 1937.
The Netherlands has in the interests of its own security no need
whatsoever for any guaranty or declaration, either by treaty or in any
other manner.
At the same time it perfectly realizes that it may be expedient for
security in Western Europe that a Treaty be concluded by which Germany,
Great Britain and France give guaranties to each other. Such a Treaty
would not be complete if it did not include Belgium and the Netherlands
as well.
These countries could be brought into such a Treaty by an agreement
between the great Powers in the Treaty that they would consider a
violation of the Belgian or Netherlands frontiers as a violation of
their own frontiers.
The inclusion of a provision as described above would mean nothing more
than the putting into writing of what is actually the case at the
present moment. This is based upon the supposition that none of the
three great Powers mentioned would proceed to an attack that would be
directed against Belgium or the Netherlands, or against both countries,
but that it is imaginable that in their own interest they would desire
guaranties against the possibility of an aggression against Belgian or
Netherlands territory in the event of a conflict between them.
Although the distinction seems unreal, the provision relating to Belgium
and the Netherlands is conceived as a declaration rather than as a
guaranty. The word guaranty might be associated with the idea of
something provided for our benefit or something that might imply the
idea of reciprocity, of which naturally there could be no question in a
Treaty to which we are not a party or in a declaration made without our
adherence. Naturally the obligation of the Netherlands and Belgium as
sovereign States to take the necessary steps to provide for the
inviolability of their territory and the right to decide as sovereign
States regarding the measures they wish to take in connection with a
violation of their territory remain undiminished.
The objection which is raised from time to time that the great Powers
will interfere in the developments resulting from a violation of Belgian
or Netherlands territory and that in the event of a threatened violation
they will exercise pressure upon those countries may be met with the
argument that these great Powers will do so in any case without the
existence of any Treaty or Declaration if they feel this to be to their
interest.
The proposed arrangement has the advantage to Belgium that it does not
reduce its security under Locarno whereas it relieves Belgium from its
counter-obligations. It must be well understood that the
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Netherlands is in no way asking for an
arrangement as described above; the idea is merely suggested as a
contribution to a general Western European Pact in which the Netherlands
has an indirect interest.
