Office of the Historian

32. Telegram From the Embassy in the United Kingdom to the Department of State1

London, August 9, 1918, 11 a.m.

937. Urgent. For Creel and Sisson Compub from Keeley. Conference Inter-Allied Board starts next Wednesday August 14th2 and lasts remainder week. French, Italian Governments sending expert staffs various phases propaganda and British staff be present to report and advise. After conference called to order by Northcliff Representatives of the four nations would be formally called upon to present position of their Governments as to the Extent of Cooperation matters of policy, technical methods of distribution, plans of getting information into enemy countries by other than military methods, the use of agencies in neutral countries including press, moving pictures, personal efforts &, the education of prisoners of war, the constitution of a permanent central organization arising out of the deliberations of the conference. As United States is newest participant in work conference practically called to give us details of what other nations have done and to afford us opportunity of defining our positions. I cabled over week ago asking for statement of position of Government.3 Regard it imperative that I have fullest possible statement to present to conference and urge you secure from all necessary quarters information and scope of powers it is desired to intrust to me for presentation. Have arranged for captains Lippman [Page 69] and Blankenhorn to attend conference but Lippman says they will be present as observers only.4

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  1. Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Decimal File 1910–1929, Box 733, 103.93/644. No classification marking. Blue. No Distribution. Received at 1:10 a.m. on August 10. Patchin wrote on the first page of the telegram: “Copied to Creel + Sisson. Aug 12, 1918. File. PHP.” An attached note by Patchin, August 12 (misdated July 12) reads: “NB, Dear Salmon, Attached marked Urgent rec’d 1.10 a.m. Friday got to me about 4:30 p.m. today. PHP.” The response, August 13, reads: “Dear Patchin: This was rec’ved 1:10 A.M. Aug. 10th. Even at that it is bad and I regret it was not called to your attention if not before surely on Sunday. More ‘Pep’ is required and I trust you will have no further cause for complaint. D.A.S.” (Ibid.) David A. Salmon was Chief of the Bureau of Indexes and Archives, Department of State.↩
  2. Keeley represented CPI at the Inter-Allied Conference on Propaganda in Enemy Countries, which met in London August 14–16. Minutes of the conference are in the National Archives, RG 63, Entry 115, Reports of the Inter-Allied Conference on Propaganda in Enemy Countries, Held at London, Aug. 14–16, 1918.↩
  3. Not found.↩
  4. Creel and Sisson responded in telegram 755 to London, August 13, sending Keeley a “synopsis” of the agreement between the CPI and MIB (see Document 29). They also informed Keeley of the following: “Blankenhorn and Lippmann advisory only. Army spending million dollars for automatic balloons. Committee bearing expense of printing.” (National Archives, RG 59, Central Decimal File 1910–1929, Box 733, 103.93/672f)↩