760C.00/84
The Ambassador in Poland (Cudahy) to the Secretary of State
[Received January 25.]
Sir: I have the honor to report that this morning I called on the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Colonel Józef Beck, and held a general discussion with him regarding the foreign relations of Poland since my departure on leave from Warsaw on May 25, 1936. The Minister reminded me that in all our previous interviews he had been a persistent optimist and said that nothing had developed since our last meeting to change his cheerful outlook. He said that he did not look for a war that is a war involving the Great Powers of Europe “for another generation”. Answering my queries concerning the great expenditures for war purposes and the vast expansion in the military establishment of Europe he said that it was normal for Europe to be in an armed state. He went on to explain that military equipment was much more costly than twenty years ago, therefore comparative figures on national expenditures for military purposes were not very instructive. Also he said that vast unemployment and the economic crisis have induced governments to provide employment in the military forces. He was never much of a believer in statistics, he said, and did not put much credence in the report that there were more men under arms today than in the summer of 1914. As for Mussolini’s armed millions he said that Mussolini was always given to making grand gestures and his rhetorical statements were not to be taken by any means as verities.
[Page 388]He admitted that the economic situation in Germany was disquieting to the cause of peace and grounds for worry but said he saw no reason for present alarm despite the fact that the economy of Germany was a war economy and the greater part of all industrial effort in the country, according to his information, was engaged in the output of materials useful only for war purposes.
Speaking of Spain Colonel Beck said no major conflict could arise from this civil war for the reason that no major power had any national objective in Spain. Nor would the Spanish trouble be used as a convenient “incident” because none of the Great Powers sought a pretext to begin hostilities. He said that there were a number of Poles engaged in fighting on both sides in Spain but he did not think the number was considerable. He did not anticipate international complications by reason of this participation because under existing passport regulations they were ipso facto denied Polish citizenship directly they took up arms in military combat in behalf of any alien force. All of these Polish volunteers were residents of France.
Commenting upon Danzig the Minister said he did not believe, despite the troublesome questions which had arisen during the past six months between Germany and Poland concerning the Free City, that it would ever be the proximate cause of serious trouble between the two countries. He expressed the opinion that Danzig is too small a stake for Germany to risk a war with Poland, for Poland would certainly insist upon its rights in the Free City.
The Minister said he found some satisfaction in the tardy acknowledgment even by the French press that his international policy was not pro-German. “It never was pro-German as you well know and always agreed”, he said, “but entirely pro-Polish.” He said it was too much to hope that the masses would understand the objectives of foreign policy or the considerations which directed foreign policy at the time important decisions were made but more and more people were becoming enlightened in this respect. He expected to continue the same pro-Polish [policy?] of maintaining existing satisfactory relations with Germany and Russia. Relations with France had been greatly strengthened through the recent French loan, he said.
Comment
I was struck by the Foreign Minister’s satisfied demeanor, and have never seen him so beaming and well disposed, a state of mind no doubt resulting from the almost unanimous popular support of his policies. The successful negotiation of the French Loan, for which he is given credit in many well-informed circles, has almost absolved him from the accusation of pronounced pro-German tendencies. Never before since my coming to Warsaw has his position been more strongly entrenched.
Respectfully yours,