852.00/8171: Telegram
The Ambassador in Italy (Phillips) to the Secretary of State
[Received June 29—8:50 a.m.]
160. My telegram 134, June 6, 1 p.m. Perth called on Ciano yesterday and unofficially sought to impress upon him the extremely unfavorable effect continued bombing of British vessels was having on public opinion in Great Britain. He did not mention the Anglo-Italian Agreement79 but from what he has told me of his conversation it is evident that Ciano could only have inferred that until the bombings ceased no consideration could be given to his request that that agreement be put into effect without further delay.
According to Perth, Ciano seemed somewhat shocked by this intimation and repeated that the Italian Government had no control over the activities of Franco’s air force. He did say, however, that Mussolini had sent one message on the subject to Franco and that now it might be presumed he would send another.
- Signed at Rome, April 16, 1938, League of Nations Treaty Series, vol. cxcv, p. 77.↩