500.A15A5/29: Telegram

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

96. For the President from Norman Davis.8 MacDonald informs me he has been so preoccupied with pressing internal and other questions that he has not been able to crystallize more definitely the suggestions he had made to Atherton, but that he will within the next 2 weeks explore the question more fully with his associates and would like then to have a further talk on my way back from Sweden. He evidenced anxiety with regard to the Japanese attitude9 and activities and said he thought it most important for us to agree upon the position we would take with regard to Japan’s claims. He said that if we could once agree against an increase in ratio and so individually and separately inform the Japanese he thought it would have a salutary effect. As to a reconcilement of any differences between the British and American Governments as to their navy, he was satisfied from the talks he had had with the Admiralty that the only question which would offer any serious difficulties was with regard to future battleships. [Davis.]

Bingham
  1. Chairman of the American delegation to the General Disarmament Conference. At this date he was en route to Stockholm on private business connected with Kreuger and Toll.
  2. See despatch No. 650, January 22, from the Ambassador in Japan, p. 217.