500.A15a3/149: Telegram
The Ambassador in Great Britain (Dawes) to the Secretary of State
[Received 4:30 p.m.]
256. Reference my telegram of August 31, 10 a.m., No. 254, which relates to the apprehension on the part of MacDonald, as expressed in his note of yesterday, of the difficulty of satisfying public opinion in Great Britain should 70 percent of the number of United States large cruisers be demanded by Japan. I long ago explained to Matsudaira that this would some time become embarrassing to the British Prime Minister. Consequently Matsudaira has been helpfully working with his Government and he said before he left for Geneva that he hoped that as they were very anxious to do so they would be able to satisfy Great Britain in this matter. MacDonald has desired that I keep the Japanese Ambassador informed until the letter sent to you in my telegram No. 255 of August 31, 11 a.m., and upon his own initiative, in anticipation of a later discussion of the matter, the Japanese Ambassador has been working in this useful way.