762.9411/311: Telegram
The Chargé in Germany (Morris) to the Secretary of State
[Received 7:27 p.m.]
4175. My 4167, November 24, 6 p.m.51 The press will doubtless have reported the year extension of the Anti-Comintern Pact and the adherence of seven new members52 which took place in Berlin today and I am not sure that this intended demonstration resembling so many others that Berlin has witnessed in the recent past calls for much serious comment. It is obvious that in the present instance the pretext for a dress parade of Axis puppet states was particularly slender for if, as the Germans would have us believe, Bolshevist military power has been definitely smashed at least three times in the last 6 months and nothing remains for the German armies but a series of mopping up operations it is not apparent why an international conference should have to be called for the ostensible purpose of envisaging another 5 years of vigorous and menacing Comintern activity. From this we can only surmise that the real reasons for staging a demonstration at this moment must have been of a decidedly ulterior motive. There is little doubt that Berlin circles had hoped to soften the advent of another hard war winter for the subject peoples of Europe by holding a conference at this time to celebrate the successful conclusion of the Russian campaign and to announce the beginning of demobilization and reconstruction on the continent of Europe. Cold military facts having precluded the realization of this plan, the present demonstration [Page 1026] was probably designated to fill the resulting gap; and if it appears even emptier and more pathetic than similar marionette shows which Ribbentrop has held in the past this is probably the result of its stopgap character.
There has been no official statement as to what further formalities or discussions are envisaged but it is intimated that something more of this nature designed in the words of the Dienst aus Deutschland “to emphasize and deepen the meaning of this manifestation in still another form” is contemplated. It is not believed, however, that all of the visiting plenipotentiaries will wish to remain any longer than necessary in Berlin now that they have performed these services expected of them.
Repeated to Rome.