740.0011 Mutual Guarantee (Locarno)/823: Telegram
The Ambassador in France (Bullitt) to the Secretary of State
[Received October 15—8:50 a.m.]
1005. In the course of a long conversation this afternoon Foreign Minister Beck of Poland said to me that he had informed Eden at [Page 360] Monte Carlo recently that Poland would not endure another Locarno agreement similar to the agreement of 1925 which would turn the force of German aggression toward the east. He said that Eden had understood his point of view and that he had been invited officially to visit London before any conference of the Locarno powers which might take place. He said that he felt certain that Germany would not conclude any new Locarno agreement unless France should abandon the pact of mutual assistance with the Soviet Union.
He added that Poland would continue to follow her policy of adhering to her alliance with France but refusing to be drawn into either the German or Soviet orbit.
Beck said that his visit to Paris was for the purpose of proving to the French Government that he and Rydz-Smigly were in absolute accord with respect to Polish policy. He will lunch tomorrow with Delbos and Blum and will attempt to convince them that there is no difference between his policy and Rydz-Smigly.
He expressed the opinion that it was likely that Poland might devalue and said that the controlling factor would be the damage which might be produced to the spirit of saving in Poland which had been carefully nurtured by the Government. In the course of a long discussion of means to preserve peace in Europe he said that it was his opinion that there was nothing to be done except to meet each situation which arose in a spirit of moderation and reasonableness. He was confident that no ideal could be presented to Europe today which would be of sufficient force to counter the religious manias of Bolshevism and Fascism and he felt the cause of civilization and peace could best be served by dealing with each situation which might arise with quiet reasonableness and strict avoidance of spectacular proposals.