500.A15A5/471: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Chargé in the United Kingdom (Atherton)
229. Your 402, August 26, 4 p.m. We are not in favor of giving text or part thereof to the press as we do not believe that present conversations on the subject would be advanced by premature public discussion of the details at this present stage. Our memorandum was intended to be confidential as it was in response to a memorandum which the British Foreign Office expressly asked to be kept entirely confidential (see paragraph 2 of your 361, August 10, noon) and which request we have respected.
Upon repeated occasions within last few weeks in response to direct inquiries as to whether the British had requested information regarding our attitude on naval questions and whether we had replied, I have stated that there was nothing sufficiently definite or tangible in the way of new developments that would enable me to say anything except that of course there are always some communications passing back and forth on some phase of the general problem, but that there is nothing sufficiently developed for us to have anything of importance to give out.
We consider it highly inadvisable to start a public discussion at this time of the details on the preparations for a naval exchange of views, but if the British deem it necessary to take such action at this time we should certainly prefer to have any announcement with regard to the American position made in Washington in order that our press may be given full information. Please keep us informed of any publicity contemplated with regard to replies from any other Governments.
With regard to furnishing to other Governments copies of the memorandum you prepared on the basis of the Department’s telegram 211,61 we wish you to make in the strictest confidence the following observations:
In commenting upon the memorandum the British furnished the French and Italian Governments, we set forth voluntarily and in the frankest and freest manner our reactions to the situation which seemed to be developing as a result of the British proposals to the [Page 101] French and to the Italians. These comments we regarded as strictly confidential as between our two Governments. We did not contemplate and do not wish that these informal comments should be made available to the other Governments and we must request that the British Government continue to hold these comments in the strictest confidence. We realize that the British would not have made this suggestion unless they had some special reason and should they so request we would be glad to furnish a statement which they can give to other Governments.