500.A15A5/550a: Telegram
President Roosevelt to the Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Bingham)
343. Since talking with you I have reviewed and given every possible consideration to all the aspects of the many questions involved. I have of necessity come to the following conclusions, largely because of my own personal familiarity with the great technical and political difficulties involved.
The coming session includes even more greatly than previous sessions the naval relations between many and perhaps all important naval powers, and goes far beyond naval relations purely between the United States and Great Britain. Evidence of this is furnished by the character of the national delegations being sent to the Conference by Japan, by France, and possibly other nations.
Since June, 1934, we have maintained continuously a special group or delegation dealing particularly with naval questions. The forthcoming Conference is a definite continuation of the general negotiations on Naval Limitation which were carried on last Fall. The American group has kept in close touch with the world aspect, in [Page 144] addition to the diplomatic negotiations which you have had with the British preparatory to this coming Conference.
For technical reasons, but especially because of the political world questions which undoubtedly will play an important part in the Conference, I have decided to make no change in the delegation or mission which went to London last Fall, with Norman Davis as the head of the delegation, and Admiral Standley as a delegate except that in thinking over your suggestion about sending Phillips to the Conference I have decided to send as an additional delegate the Under Secretary of State, who has worked actively with the group here in order that he may become personally acquainted with the problems as they are brought out during the earlier days of the Conference. He will, as soon as this is accomplished, return to Washington in order that I may have personally a complete and up-to-date picture, and in order that subsequent liaison may be facilitated.
I agree with you that under the circumstances it would not be entirely appropriate for you, as my Ambassador to Great Britain, to be a member of the delegation, since the delegation will have to carry on multilateral negotiations involving not only technical questions, but also political aspects of our relations with several other powers besides Great Britain, these powers including Japan and the Pacific field. Furthermore, in view of the British situation and its close relation to the Italian-Ethiopian war, I want you to be footloose.
I need not tell you how greatly I appreciate the services you rendered in the preliminary diplomatic discussions with the British preparatory to this conference and even though you are to be independent of the delegation I am sure that Mr. Davis and the other delegates can count upon your counsel and helpful cooperation particularly in their relations to the British Government.