811.73/582: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Great Britain (Davis)
118. Your 152, February 26th.
Please communicate following to F. J. Brown from Davis:
I am obliged to you for your interest in answering my communications and note your statement that since the Western Telegraph Company has carried out its part, of the agreement between the two companies it is believed any proposal for the modification of that agreement should be addressed to the Western Telegraph Company by the Western Union Company direct. Because of your previously expressed interest and that of the British Government in the situation, [Page 827] I had thought it necessary and proper to acquaint you with what I had in mind in an effort to coordinate the views of the two Governments before taking the matter up with the Western Union Company. The necessity for such a course was evident since the matter involved important governmental policies and at least the Western Union Company was not in a position to address directly any proposal to the Western Company without the approval of this Government. Since your answer indicates that the British Government has no longer its former interest in the situation, I presume no progress can be made by a further interchange of views. Without an agreement between the two governments on the larger questions of policy involved, and their concurrent support, it is not apparent to me how the companies could make any progress toward a settlement by direct negotiations.32
- There was no further interchange of views.↩