500.A15A5/151: Telegram
The Ambassador in Great Britain (Bingham) to the Secretary of State
[Received July 18—12:50 p.m.]
424. From Norman Davis. Your 309, July 17, 10 p.m. We had felt that the issuance of the statement that the Japanese would not arrive for conversations until October altered the situation making it unnecessary and probably inadvisable to issue an Anglo-American statement. Finding that the British were desirous of issuing a joint statement, on which we had worked with them for several days, and being under the impression from your previous cables that you also considered it advisable to give out some sort of joint statement, we submitted to you the compromise which we considered better than we had expected, and at least harmless. Moreover, the compromise draft at least had the advantages of reaffirming parity and of making it more difficult for the British to make propaganda for a substantial increase of the Navy in the face of a public commitment to carry out the purposes of the London Treaty.
In view of the fact, however, that the statement with regard to the Japanese and your press statement in connection therewith have dispelled [Page 298] suspicion we agree with you that silence is safer than any joint or public statement.
I have informed the British that in view of the circumstances described, you think it inadvisable to issue any statement now, but unless you wish to have us do so, I prefer not to convey to him your specific criticisms of a statement which Bingham and I had accepted ad referendum. [Davis.]