793.94 Conference/92: Telegram
The Ambassador in Belgium (Gibson) to the Secretary of State
[Received 5:35 p.m.]
101. My 98, October 22, 6 p.m.28 Foreign Office informs me that communications have been received from all signatories and adherents to the Nine-Power Treaty, with the exception of Japan and Bolivia, acquiescing in the sending invitations to Germany and Russia.
The Belgian Ambassador at Tokyo in reporting leaves no doubt that the Japanese Government will refuse to attend the Conference but [Page 108] states that their formal reply cannot be expected before next Tuesday. It is probable that the invitations to Germany and Russia will not be sent from Brussels until after the receipt of the Japanese refusal in order to avoid giving any further pretext for a Japanese refusal.
In the course of a conversation with Wailes29 this morning the Chef de Cabinet of Mr. Spaak did not hide the Minister’s misgivings as to how the work of the Conference was shaping up. He said that the French Government had expressed unwillingness to play any leading part in view of their position in French Indo-China. The British Government had not afforded any enlightening replies to repeated inquiries but Baron Guillaume is being sent to London, as reported in my telegram 86, October 16 [14], 4 [6] p.m. and it is hoped that he may elicit something as to British intentions. It is assumed that Italy, Portugal, and Germany will oppose any line of action that is not favorable to Japan and the feeling was growing that unless the United States was prepared to take the initiative, Belgium might be left in the unenviable position of giving whatever lead had to be given to the Conference.
The net impression I gather from this and my own conversations is that there is a certain amount of panic in Belgian official circles due to the fact that a Conference is about to meet, wherein Belgium will inevitably have to play a rather conspicuous role and that up to the present time they have not been consulted or informed as to what it is contemplated the Conference should seek to accomplish.
There seems to be a general feeling that efforts at conciliation will fail and that the question of more drastic measures will then arise. If there is any information or comfort that can be given to Mr. Spaak at this time I think it would help to steady the situation here.