711.4112Anti-War/58: Telegram
The Ambassador in Great Britain (Houghton) to the Secretary of State
[Received 3:30 p.m.]
103. I greatly appreciate your kind message in your telegram No. 116, May 9, 4 p.m. If not too bold, I should like to submit the following views:
I am doubtful if you are aware how tremendously strong your position now is. You can direct the course of the negotiations almost at will. All that is necessary for you to do is to make your decisions known. As long as your present attitude is maintained, of insisting that your proposal is simple and straightforward and does not need elaborate explanations and reservations, the treaty will gain support and will be accepted in the end. If for any reasons, however appealing, you should take part in a conference of any sort, I fear that you will be drawn directly and inevitably into discussion of possibilities both hypocritical and wholly without foundation, which may easily wreck the entire plan, and which of course the opponents of the treaty would like to bring about, even though they dare not admit it openly. Whatever consultations on phraseology are necessary can be carried on, under your guidance, with the Ambassadors in Washington.
Opponents were utterly confounded by your Washington address.62 The difficulty which now remains is to tie up your interpretation to the treaty. If you are able now to secure the treaty by embodying therein, in the form of a preamble, precisely those declarations which you set forth in your Washington address and then submit the treaty completed in that form to all concerned and then proceed promptly to make it public, I believe that its acceptance will be substantially assured. The several powers will no doubt suggest those changes in phraseology which you said were indifferent to you. You are in a position where you can accept them or not, as you wish. The only point which is vital is that you keep the initiative which is now yours, and center the discussion around treaty as a whole. In his speech yesterday in the House of Commons, Chamberlain stated that Great Britain had no commitments which prevented acceptance of your proposal. This declaration must be taken, however, in connection with the other statement he made that Great Britain never uses [Page 62] war as an instrument of national policy. You will recall that some weeks ago Chamberlain expressed his belief that Great Britain’s relations with France are all-important for European peace. Now that he has put Great Britain in the right, he would like to be the mediating influence to bring in France. It appears to me, though, that if a complete form of treaty were to be submitted to the several powers for their comment, it would be necessary for the French to deal with you directly. Even though thus circumvented, Chamberlain will not oppose the treaty; his influence will in any event be directed to its support.
Beneš is being very active here. As far as I am able to learn, he is urging acceptance of treaty. Today or tomorrow I shall see the French Ambassador. The Polish Minister wishes to talk with me Monday. I think nothing of importance can develop here after that until Poland’s position and that of Little Entente has been determined in consultation with the French; that means, apparently, a delay of some weeks. Pray do not think that I am trying to take part in matters which are not my affair. Our pride in the great progress you have made perhaps makes us too eager to offer suggestions.