$-#319, From London, Apr.15, 5p.m.
 
      
 
 
meeting of the Council of the League of Nations for the purpose 
      of clarifying the situation of member states in this regard.
 
      
 
 
I should add that while the agreement will be signed as we 
      hope very shortly it will not as you will notice from the account 
      of the protocol given above, enter into force until such date 
      as the two Governments shall together determine. You will have 
      seen that we have given assurances in Parliament that we shall 
      not conclude this agreement until we are satisfied regarding 
      a settlement of the Spanish problem and so far as we are concerned 
      we shall determine the date when the agreement shall enter into 
      force by reference to the Spanish question. On their side the 
      Italian Government will no doubt determine that date by reference 
      to the steps we may take regarding the recognition of Italian 
      sovereignty over Ethiopia.
 
      
 
 
From what I have said you will see that the agreement is a 
      fairly comprehensive one and it was in fact our object to try 
      and dispose of all questions outstanding between the two Governments.
 
      
 
 
The Prime Minister and I hope very much that the President 
      will share our view that this agreement embodies a real contribution 
      towards world appeasement. The state of the world is such that 
      in our opinion it is essential to