Deputation to the Foreign Secretary, 22nd March, 1937 : points of Mr. Eden's reply

              PRIVATE AND CONFIDENTIAL.
DEPUTATION TO THE FOREIGN SECRETARY.
22ND MARCH, 1937.
POINTS OF MR. EDEN'S REPLY.
(1) The Government in following the Non-Intervention Policy had done so because they believed it necessary to preserve the peace of Europe.     He did not believe in a policy of threats.   It was no use making threats unless they were ready to back them up.     The only alternative to Non-Intervention was a policy which might lead to war.
(2) With regard to the danger of landing troops from German and Italian vessels entrusted with carrying out the control scheme, he admitted the danger but said that this was no greater than that which existed previously.   On the other hand the control scheme did give the opportunity of all the governments knowing a great deal more about what was going on than they did now.
(3) As to the landing of arms from Germany and Italy, he had rather foolishly cited a case in the House of Commons of alleged violation on the 5th March. His information was very indefinite on this, and it had only come in the day previously. He now found that the information was not very good. He had taken the matter up with the Italian Government through the Ambassador, who specifically denied the sending of men.  The Government knew from its own sources that the chartering of vessels by the Italian Government to carry arms had ceased. 
(4)  The Government were concentrating on the getting into operation of the system of control as quickly as possible.  They did not want to divert on to anything else for the time being.   It was very difficult because the Italians and Germans