500.C1112/94: Telegram (part air)
The Consul at Geneva (Gilbert) to the Secretary of State
[Received January 19—7 a.m.]
21. Consulate’s 16, January 15, 5 p.m.9 Developments in the Raw Materials Committee question: Poland, acting Council rapporteur on economic questions, has apparently taken the initiative away from Great Britain and is approaching Berlin direct in the matter of German participation. I am reliably informed that Beck10 is seeing von Neurath11 in Berlin en route to Geneva.
This would seem to presage rather definitely that the Council will take some action upon the question. In order to obviate the disadvantages of an attempt at direct Geneva–Berlin relationship consideration is given to the Council’s setting up a Committee confined to League states leaving to its chairman the obtaining of cooperation of non-League states.
Stoppani12 now states that he has reason to understand that Rome is favorable in principle to participation to become effective if and when Italy resumes cooperation with the League of Nations. There is a strong rumor current that Rome now chooses to construe the various actions of a number of League states as de facto recognition of Italian sovereignty over Abyssinia and that Italy may even be represented at the forthcoming Council.
The Brazilian Consul General tells me that he has sent three telegrams to his Government inquiring respecting Brazilian participation but to date has received no response.
The Japanese Consul General tells me that Toyko regards the political aspects of the manner in which the project is developing strictly European. The Japanese member will thus at the outset [Page 806] refrain from discussion and in effect act merely as an observer. He will, however, if the discussion renders it desirable take a position expressive of Japanese policy.