711.4112Anti-War/50: Telegram
The Ambassador in Great Britain (Houghton) to the Secretary of State
[Received May 9—3:50 p.m.]
102. Your No. 114, May 7, 3 p.m. I saw Beneš today. He recalled our former meetings and said that he was pleased to have an opportunity for discussion with me of the very important measures now under consideration. He was in close touch with the sentiment in the French Foreign Office as well as with that in the British, and he thought that his relations with the powers of Central Europe made him fully cognizant of their feeling also. Everybody, of course, wanted peace. In principle he could agree with every effort in that direction, and he welcomed warmly the approach that America was now making to Europe. He felt that it showed American approbation toward what had been accomplished in the past few years in Europe to maintain peace. He was ready to think that your proposal would strengthen these efforts in the way of accomplishment and would tend to maintain the status quo; but at the, same time he was a political realist: He must know exactly what it was that he was asked to sign. As a step in that direction he had read your notes, and had been especially interested in your Washington speech, which had dissipated most of his doubts.
He then raised the following four points: (1) self-defense; (2) the League Covenant; (3) the Locarno pact; (4) the defensive treaties between Czechoslovakia and France and between Czechoslovakia and the members of the Little Entente.
We took up these points in order, after some general discussion, and I read the appropriate paragraphs from your Washington speech. Beneš did not seem wholly satisfied with the answer to his fourth question. I repeated that if, as he said, his commitments were in fact defensive, they could begin to operate only in the event of attack, and that my understanding of your position was that in such an event he was left free toward the attacking power. This statement seemingly satisfied him; at least, he said finally that his fears had now been removed and asserted that he would favor the treaty here in London and also in Paris, as well as at a meeting of the Little Entente Powers which he intimated between ourselves might take place in about a month. He thought that any difficulties between Washington and Paris could now be easily removed.
[Page 60]I said that I had had no information on the attitude of Yugoslavia; and Beneš replied that Yugoslavia had not yet taken any position. He added that that country and Rumania would doubtless adopt the same attitude toward the treaty that France would take. He remarked, incidentally, that King Carol was now definitely out of Rumanian politics and would not hereafter figure seriously therein.
As I started to take my leave, Beneš halted me to say that the arbitration treaty between Czechoslovakia and the United States was now in his possession;60 that in principle he saw nothing to occasion dispute, and that on his return to Prague he would act on it favorably. These statements were for your private information.
The net result of this interview is that I incline to the opinion that Beneš really is in favor of the treaty. I also think that his influence, which is, of course, great, will be exerted to bring the French Foreign Office to a more favorable mood. At the same time, I doubt that he will take a position which is antagonistic to Paris. He wished to extend to you through me his cordial regards and good wishes.
- See vol. ii, pp. 688 ff.↩