711.5112France/345
Memorandum by the Under Secretary of State (Olds)
The French Ambassador called at our suggestion and was received by the Secretary and the Undersecretary. The Secretary told him that he did not think it necessary for him to go over again fully the situation which had already been discussed between the Ambassador and the Undersecretary yesterday.84 He did, however, take up the clauses in the preamble and explained to the Ambassador that they virtually provided that the status quo could not be changed by any signatory of this treaty by resort to war without forfeiting the benefits of this treaty so far as the violator thereof was concerned. The Secretary also stated to the Ambassador confidentially that when the time came for signing the treaty, he was prepared to suggest to the other Powers that the signing take place in Paris. The Ambassador expressed his appreciation of this statement with obvious emotion. He inquired when the Secretary thought the treaty might be signed and the Secretary said he hoped they could reach that point in August or September.
[Page 98]The Secretary further stated that he had been sincerely anxious to meet all of France’s views and thought he had done so. He said he had gone as far as he could go and reminded the Ambassador again that we had our Senate to consider in this matter. In response to an inquiry by the Ambassador, the Secretary said he felt confident as a result of his conversations with Members of the Foreign Relations Committee and others that the treaty in the form now submitted would be ratified here.
The Secretary explained again, as he had done in previous conversations, just how signature by all of the parties to Locarno and other treaties of guaranty would take care of the second point insisted upon by France. Going to war in violation of the other treaties would automatically violate this treaty and the fact that there were sanctions in the other treaties which might be applied in that event was an entirely extraneous circumstance so far as the anti-war treaty is concerned.
- Memorandum of conversation not printed.↩