852.00/2546
Memorandum by the Assistant Chief of the Division of Western European Affairs (Hickerson) to the Acting Secretary of State
Mr. Boisanger, Second Secretary of the French Embassy, came in to see me at 2:30 this afternoon and read to me various telegrams which they have just received from Paris relating to Spain. The first telegram related to the alleged request of the Chilean Ambassador, Dean of the Diplomatic Corps in Madrid, that various Governments give assurances that in case of necessity they would be prepared to move troops to Madrid to protect the Diplomatic Corps. In this telegram, the French Government stated that they could not even consider giving any such assurances. Mr. Boisanger asked if we had received a similar inquiry and I told him that we had not, but that the British Embassy had communicated to us the sense of their reply to this inquiry which was in line with the reply of France.
Mr. Boisanger next read to me a telegram giving the reaction in various capitals of Europe to the French neutrality proposal, a copy of which was handed to you on August 6 by the French Chargé. The British Government was stated to be in accord with the proposal insofar as existing British law permitted. The Italian Government reserved its position in respect to the matter and stressed the importance of “moral disarmament.” The German Government also reserved its position but pointed out that no arms, planes or other implements of war had been exported to Spain. The German Foreign Minister expressed in general sympathy with the project but referred to the fact that some sort of “naval control” might be necessary to insure its enforcement.
Mr. Boisanger then read me a telegram in which it was stated that the French Government had decided to place in effect the provisions of its neutrality declaration without waiting for answers from other countries and that France would not authorize the exportation of any arms, ammunition or implements of war to Spain. The telegram then went on to say that the French Government was confident that other Governments would emulate its example in this matter.