793.94 Conference/131: Telegram
The Chargé in Germany (Gilbert) to the Secretary of State
[Received October 29—10:25 a.m.]
258. The Belgian Minister informed me very shortly after his delivery at the Foreign Office late yesterday afternoon of the Belgian Government’s invitation to Germany to participate in the Nine Power Conference, that he was orally informed at the time of delivery that the German formal reply, which would be given in a day or two or perhaps sooner, would be in the negative.
The reasons given him were along the general lines described in my 253, October 26, 5 p.m., the recent speech of Eden associating the Conference so closely with the League of Nations being particularly stressed as militating against acceptance.
[Page 118]Von Neurath37 at a dinner last evening confirmed to me Germany’s nonacceptance of the invitation. He disclosed to me, however, that the response would almost certainly in some manner leave a door open for Germany’s possible later participation. In endeavoring to get at the bottom of the reason for this feature in the German reply, i. e. whether it would be merely a gesture or whether it might possibly have some constructive import, I ascertained at least to my own satisfaction that one element in this was Germany’s reluctance to make an unequivocal refusal which would cast her in the role of being unwilling to associate herself in an effort toward peace. Whether other reasons may govern this attitude and in particular whether Germany seriously contemplates later participation I am at present unable to say.
Repeated to Brussels for American delegation. Copies by mail to London, Paris, Rome.
- Baron Constantin H. K. von Neurath, German Minister for Foreign Affairs.↩