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Last week all Paris was agog with rumors that Prime Minister André Tardieu was seriously pondering whether to break off diplomatic relations with the Soviet Union. Excitement grew when the private airplane of Sir Henri Deterding, Anglo-Dutch oil tycoon, arrived from London at Le Bourget and Sir Henri sped by motor to confer for two hours with M. Tardieu, then dashed back to his plane, flew home to London. Observers pondered the most widely believed explanation of Sir Henri's movements: he came at the request of M. Tardieu who wanted to know whether French consumers of certain petroleum products (especially naphtha) which they now buy from the Soviet Union could be sure of a reasonably priced supply from Sir Henri's associates should France decide to break with Russia.
Sir Henri was supposed to have pledged his word that M. Tardieu could count on adequate supplies, fair prices.