740.00/741: Telegram
The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Kennedy) to the Secretary of State
[Received 3:30 p.m.]
448. I have just seen Halifax. You will probably get Chamberlain’s speech on the Polish situation from the newspapers before our despatch arrives, but we are sending it to you for the record. The things that do not appear in the speech are as follows:
- 1.
- Beck is definitely against making any tie-up with Russia beyond their normal trade commitments of the day. Halifax says Beck’s strategy all along has been to stay friendly with both Germany and Russia without making any definite commitments and Beck is hopeful that while Hitler will be roaring mad at Poland’s action in tying up with Great Britain, he will not be as mad as if Russia were in with Poland too. Halifax said he pressed Beck as to whether he would not want tanks, aeroplanes and ammunition, at least, from Russia if Poland were attacked and, even with that as a bait, Beck said no; that he has no confidence that conditions in Russia would permit any help that would be worth while.
- 2.
- As to Poland’s helping Rumania, Beck said that if the Hungarian situation remains as it is, he would be averse to making any public commitment to help Rumania, but, if the Germans finally moved [Page 114] into Hungary, then of course it would be a different matter. He is perfectly willing to say, without making any commitment except to the Prime Minister and Secretary of State, that he would go to the aid of Rumania if she were attacked.
Halifax told me today that Beck told him he considered Biddle one of his best friends and a very great help to him in Poland. Beck told me practically the same thing last night.
Halifax, in summing up the Russian situation, said that their own political situation here makes it difficult to do anything with them, but the general feeling is that Russia cannot be of any help at all outside of her own borders. They are going to try and go along with them. But are not very hopeful of any results.
As to the Italian situation, Halifax is convinced that Ciano was lying when he told Lord Perth that they were called into the Albania situation84 in a more or less friendly manner; that Italian interests had been threatened there and that King Zog was not averse to the Italian moves, because the information the British Government gets from Albania is that King Zog has appealed to the Balkan Entente for help. The British Government is not at all sure what the move means or what it portends, but they definitely do not like the situation and it becomes all the more peculiar because, Halifax said, Ciano had dropped the suggestion that if the French representative would care to come around to the Italian Foreign Office to discuss the points of difference between their two countries, they would be glad to start discussions.
I asked Halifax what he thought of the Czech situation. He said he was inclined to believe still that neither Hitler nor Mussolini wanted to go to war. He thought they would do everything however to keep England in a state of jitters at least for a few months. He imagines the strategy of Hitler to be “I never wanted Poland and never had any intention of attacking her. This is merely an excuse for Great Britain to wreak vengeance on Germany; therefore I call on all our people to arm and prepare for the next 3 to 6 months.” In that way he can maintain a state of jitters in the world; he can save his own house and keep up his armament rumpus, without being obliged to find an economic alternative. After Halifax finished this statement he said “and by night fall I may be proved to be wrong.”
The Prime Minister is leaving for Scotland tonight for the next 4 days. Halifax is remaining in town until tomorrow night and hopes to get away then. I am remaining here to get whatever information there is.