441.11 W 892/50: Telegram
The Ambassador in Great Britain (Houghton) to the Secretary of State
[Received June 4—3:30 p.m.]
116. Your 86, June 1. Chamberlain was evidently somewhat disturbed when I saw him this morning. He did not understand why Phenix should come here until he had completed his work in Washington unless perhaps on a fishing excursion and especially why the original plan was changed by which the naval delegates were to accompany Phenix. Chamberlain wired Howard that he could see no gain in Phenix’s visit and he regretted he must tell me as much. I replied that you do not intend to send Phenix on a fishing excursion, that I thought he had gone as far as he could in Washington, and that you must secure the necessary additional information either by circularizing many thousands of claimants, with the accompanying publicity, or in the way you suggested. I stressed the fact that both sides were working in good faith and stated that if his present position was maintained it would result in precisely those unpleasant factors he hoped to avoid. He finally told me, after half an hour’s talk, that he desired to reserve the privilege of reconsidering his answer if after reading my cable and hearing personally from Howard you still felt Phenix ought to come.