751.60c/138: Telegram
The Ambassador in France (Bullitt) to the Secretary of State
[Received April 11—2:49 p.m.]
699. Daladier said to me this morning that the Polish Ambassador had stated to him that he would leave for Warsaw tomorrow evening and had asked to see him before departure to talk about putting the French-Polish alliance on the same basis as the British-Polish alliance. Daladier said that he had not the slightest idea what this meant and asked me if I could inform him. Since the Polish Ambassador had told me that Beck had instructed him to make this démarche, I was able to do so.
You will recall that under the agreement between Poland and Great Britain each country is to be the sole judge of what constitutes its own vital interests. If in defense of what it considers its vital interests it goes to war, the other party to the alliance is obligated to go to war at once without question.
The Polish Ambassador in Paris will propose to Daladier that the French-Polish alliance should be placed on this basis. The Poles are anxious to have this promise from France because they feel that if Germany should attack Poland or if Poland should be compelled to enter the Danzig area and Germany should then march against Poland a French declaration of war against Germany might be delayed for some time while the French Parliament was discussing the question.
When I had explained the proposal which the Polish Ambassador will make, Daladier after considering the matter said that he believed the Polish position was sound. He thought it would be to the advantage of France and Poland to know that the other party to the French-Polish alliance would be obliged to go to war automatically.
Daladier said that he would therefore tell the Polish Ambassador this evening that France would agree to let Poland be the sole judge of its vital interests and would go to war by the side of Poland immediately if Poland should fight in defense of its vital interests—in return of course for a promise from Poland to France of the same nature.