793.94/4615: Telegram
The Minister in Switzerland (Wilson) to the Secretary of State
[Received March 7—6:39 p.m.]
61. At this afternoon’s meeting of the Assembly, Titulesco made a strong appeal for employing all the measures in the Covenant stating that while the League could afford to fail in bringing about a solution after exhausting the means at its disposal, if it failed to act to the limit of its authority it would sacrifice the confidence of all small nations.
Zaleski, Poland, offered nothing beyond a reminder that the League is really based on the provisions in the preamble of the Covenant regarding respect of treaty obligations, et cetera.
Simon then spoke (see Gilbert’s telegram 10663). His statement seemed so entirely vague that most of us did not even gather the impression that he was advocating definite measures. On being asked afterward, however, what he had in mind as to the character of the resolution to be adopted he showed us a text which merely gives his general idea and which concludes with a very definite statement approximately as follows:
“The Assembly resolves that it is incumbent upon all states members of the League to refuse to recognize any solutions of international differences brought about by force in violation of the Covenant of the League and the Kellogg Pact.”
Simon was followed by Rosso, Italy; Weizsäcker, Germany; Paul-Boncour, France, who associated themselves in very general terms with Simon’s suggestions. The state of impression was one of the great powers putting brakes on the impulsive proposals of the small nations.