Office of the Historian

500.A15a3/1322: Telegram

The Ambassador in Belgium (Gibson) to the Secretary of State

[Paraphrase]
Brussels, January 9, 1931—6 p.m.
[Received January 9—2:15 p.m.]

3. Reference is made to No. 41, December 30, 4 p.m. from the Department.53

(1)
It has not yet been possible for Massigli54 to come to Brussels; I gather, however, that he believes that until there is a government with an assured majority55 no further steps can usefully be taken.
(2)
It is believed by Craigie56 that if my mediation should be needed later on it will be more effective if I stay out of the present negotiations.
(3)
A letter from Rosso57 informs me that the Italian end of the situation is satisfactory, and he also feels that a hasty decision should not be attempted.
(4)
I believe that, at least until there is a government in France likely to remain in power long enough to complete a negotiation, it would be a mistake to try to push matters; misunderstanding equally as great as the present appreciation of our readiness to help when appealed to might be caused by any attempt on our part to hurry matters now.
(5)
It would have a helpful effect in Europe, should the matter come up again in the press, if it could be brought out that there is no call for mediation on our part so long as the interested parties are in direct negotiations. The unfortunate impression that we are trying to play an unduly prominent role would tend to be obviated by this, and it would not preclude such action as, in the light of future developments, might prove desirable.
Gibson
  1. Ibid., p. 185.↩
  2. René Massigli, chief of the League of Nations section of the French Ministry for Foreign Affairs.↩
  3. The reference is to the evident instability of the French Cabinet formed by Théodore Steeg on December 13, 1930, subsequently overturned on January 22, 1931.↩
  4. Robert L. Craigie, chief of the American Department of the British Foreign Office.↩
  5. Augusto Rosso, director general of the League of Nations section of the Italian Ministry for Foreign Affairs.↩