765.84/1551a: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the United Kingdom ( Bingham )

281. Papers today carry following article by William Hillman, Universal Service correspondent:

“Britain today offered France a military alliance to safeguard France’s German frontier against ‘all attacks’ in exchange for French support of League of Nations sanctions against Italy and use of Toulon, Manse [sic], as a Mediterranean naval base for the British fleet.

“This momentous proposal to the French Government, which long has demanded British guarantees of French security against Germany, was agreed to by the British cabinet in full session at 10 Downing Street even as Mussolini mobilized the Italian nation to signalize the crossing of Italian armies from Eritrea into the African no man’s land fringing Ethiopia.”

Department wishes any information you have concerning this news.

Hull