Volume 4 1932~1936


Doc No.
Date
Subject

No. 315 NAI DFA 19/50A

Extract from a confidential report from Charles Bewley to
Joseph P. Walshe (Dublin)
(43/33)

Berlin, 22 January 1936

[matter omitted]

Attacks on the League of Nations with regard to Danzig and on the High Commissioner1 personally have been very violent, and in my opinion quite unjustified. Without going into all the details, it may be said that the German case is that the duty of the High Commissioner is only to regulate the relations between Danzig and Poland, and that as these are good, he has no further duties (Article 103 of the Treaty of Versailles, Part V, Section XI). It appears to overlook the first clause in the same Article, which places the constitution under the guarantee of the League of Nations. If the recommendations of the High Commissioner are adopted by the League, it will be no doubt made the occasion for further estrangement from England, more especially as the reporter in the Danzig question is the British Foreign Minister.

At the same time I cannot help feeling that in spite of everything German policy will continue to take its orientation from England in consequence of race, tradition, the policy declared by Hitler in his book, and a number of other considerations. Mr. Bose, from whom I had two long visits, told me that his impression was the same. He had visited Mr. Dieckhoff of the Foreign Office, and had been informed by him that Germany's interests were so bound up with those of England that they could take no interest in the cause of Indian independence. He stated that this only confirmed his impressions from his previous visit, and that he would consequently make no effort to see members of the Government.

[matter omitted]

[signed] C. Bewley

1 Seán Lester