859b.01/–: Telegram

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

590. Your 826, May 20, 5 p.m.

You may inform the Foreign Office that at the time the Treaty cession of Danish West Indies was signed, August 4, 1916, Government [Page 2] of United States declared that it would “not object to Danish Government extending their political and economic interests to the whole of Greenland”.2

This Government, however, is not disposed to recognize the existence in a third government of a right of preemption to acquire this territory if the Danish Government should desire to dispose of it; and accordingly reserves for future consideration what position it may take in the event of a specific proposal for such a transfer.

Repeat to Copenhagen.

Colby