740.0011 Mutual Guarantee (Eastern Locarno)/162
The Ambassador in Germany (Dodd) to the Secretary of State
[Received August 23.]
Sir: I have the honor to refer to despatch No. 1931 of April 16, 1935,58 in which allusion was made to an official communiqué issued by the German Government in reply to inquiries resulting from the Stresa Conference, of which the sense was that even as Germany was not in a position to adhere to pacts containing military obligations as an essential element of their content (i. e., pacts of mutual assistance), the existence of such agreements, outside of a pact of nonaggression, would not necessarily hinder the German Government from adhering to such a non-aggression pact.59
[Page 307]In this connection I learn that the British Government and its local representatives have informally approached the German Government with a view to furthering the conclusion of an East pact. It was pointed out that the willingness of Germany to enter into such a pact would produce an excellent impression abroad; that its conclusion would greatly facilitate the making of the air pact which Germany and Great Britain both desire; and further, that, as the Germans made the statement mentioned in the preceding paragraph in April, they might well live up to it by adhering to a pact of Eastern non-aggression to which the existing Franco-Soviet agreement would stand in the relationship of a pact of mutual assistance outside of the non-aggression pact.60
The answer of the German Government has not yet been given and I can hardly believe that it will be favorable. At the time the communiqué above mentioned was issued, there seemed to be an united front of the leading Entente powers against Germany. Subsequent events have shown that this unity no longer exists. It seems not improbable that the Foreign Office will consider that the signing of the Franco-Soviet pact has altered the situation.
In connection with the foregoing, allusion may be made to a D. A. Z.61 insinuation (it admits that the Prague papers said nothing on the subject) that Beneš had discussed with Lozoraitis, Lithuanian Foreign Minister, while the latter passed through Prague, the possibility of extending the Franco-Soviet and Czecho-Soviet pacts to include Lithuania and the Baltic States. The paper then makes the following comment:
The foregoing announcement seems to us of no slight importance in connection with the development of the Eastern Pact question. The German interpretation of the character and aim of the so-called Eastern Pact could find no better confirmation than what has occurred by reason of the negotiations between Beneš and Lozoraitis. It must be remembered that during the Stresa Conference, Germany announced its attitude in regard to an Eastern Pact. This was to the effect that Germany cannot decide to sign a mutual assistance clause.
Regarding the discussion as to the compatibility with Locarno of the Franco-Soviet treaty (see despatch No. 2035 of June 6th), I am informed that the German Government has replied to France and the other Locarno powers to the effect that while it maintains its point of view, there is nothing to be gained by further legal discussion.62
Respectfully yours,
Counselor of Embassy