852.00/5522: Telegram
The Consul at Geneva (Gilbert) to the Secretary of State
[Received 7:03 p.m.]
163. A member of the Spanish delegation permitted me today privately to glance through the Spanish dossier on intervention in Spain mentioned in my 151, May 21, 10 a.m. which is termed the “White Book”.92 It embodies approximately 100 documents respecting Italian military intervention. He confirmed my impression that there is no mention whatsoever of German activity in Spain. In response to my [Page 304] naturally remarking on this point my informant hinted at a possible “annex” respecting German intervention. He stated that he had no knowledge as to what Del Vayo might include in his oral statements to the Council. From both British and French members of delegations I am informed that Eden and Delbos had gone over the “White Book” with Del Vayo immediately upon their arrival. From a British source I learn that Eden desired that Del Vayo suppress this textual evidence, the reason ascribed being that London wished to avoid the formal implications of the acceptance of written documents from which in the future it might be difficult to disassociate itself. These tripartite conversations constituted in general a negotiation respecting the support which the British and French might accord Del Vayo which in turn depended on the nature of the Spanish presentation of its case. A member of the French delegation stated to me that the “White Book”’s dealing entirely with Italy should occasion no surprise as the British objective was to isolate Italy concerning which they had been working closely with Valencia. The Russians although apparently working much more harmoniously with the British and the French than was the case during the January Council are said to be furious over the omission of mention of Germany.
In respect to the British démarche for an armistice I learn that Eden states in confidence that it had come to nothing due to the refusal of Valencia and Burgos. He was pessimistic about the Spanish situation, adding that London expected the war to continue through next winter. Commenting on beliefs current in Geneva that Berlin was favorable and Rome unfavorable to the British démarche, Eden asserted that it was entirely premature to judge this as an indication of a break in the Rome–Berlin axis.
While the somewhat disconnected developments which I have described are unofficially discussed in confidence in their relationship to the European situation no clear inferences are yet drawn.
- Printed as Special Supplement No. 165 to the League of Nations Official Journal.↩