500.A15A4/2227: Telegram
The Ambassador in Great Britain ( Bingham ) to the Secretary of State
[Received October 16—11:55 a.m.]
292. Department’s circular telegram October 14, 10 a.m. Had informal meeting with Prime Minister85 yesterday. He told me he had been expecting German Government would take just such action as has been taken for over a month. He mentioned the idea of trying to reach German people, giving them information as to attitude of outside world, no part of which they can know in present conditions, and was especially interested in knowing if our Government would consider an effort along this line. Perhaps he has in mind President [Page 273] Wilson’s appeals to the German people during the war. I am convinced the British are determined to do everything possible to prevent war in Europe and that they eagerly desire our cooperation in working for peace. This has been their attitude throughout the whole discussion, but now it is augmented and accentuated to the extent I think they are ceasing to think in terms of debt settlement in the face of the grave crisis confronting them. Personally, I think Hitler is not likely to take further drastic steps until after the sham election on November 12th and I believe the hope for peace in Europe depends mainly upon working together by the British, French, Italian and American Governments to this end.
Repeated Geneva. Code text mailed Paris, Rome, Berlin.
- J. Ramsay MacDonald.↩