File No. 763.72112/3159

The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Great Britain ( Page )

[Telegram]

4082. Your 5169, November 16, 6 p. m. For the Ambassador. You may reply cordially to Lord Grey’s invitation, orally or in a personal note, expressing my appreciation and gratification of this evidence of good will and desire to comply with our wishes in regard to the blacklisting. Express my regret that it is impossible for Mr. Polk to leave for a period long enough to go to London on such a mission, on account of the burden of work of Department, which requires closest attention of every officer.

I am pleased at your impressing Lord Grey and Lord Cecil with the feeling aroused in United States against blacklisting and their taking a more conciliatory attitude toward the matter. I can see no advantage to be gained over the present method of discussing the cases with Sir Richard Crawford and the Embassy, by sending [Page 486] Polk to London. Polk is discussing this matter with the Embassy and feels that if Lord Grey and Lord Cecil will sufficiently empower Sir Richard or some other member of the Embassy, as much can be accomplished here with respect to the removal of names as by a trip to London. Such discretion is necessary for further discussion here as Crawford recently stated that in view of the evidence in the hands of the Embassy he saw no prospect of removing any more names.

Lansing