Foreign Relations of the United States, Diplomatic Papers, 1936, General, British Commonwealth, Volume I

500.A15A5/760

Memorandum by President Roosevelt to the Under Secretary of State (Phillips)

Washington, March 21, 1936.

In the Naval Treaty I hope one point is perfectly clear:

If, for example, the Treaty should be ratified by July 1, 1937, and if during the intervening period Great Britain or another power should actually lay down a number of light cruisers, and if during the same period our Congress did not authorize or appropriate for a similar number of cruisers—in such an event, would we later on—say in 1938—have the right to authorize or appropriate for the number of cruisers we had fallen behind during this coming interim period?

In other words, the United States should have the right at any future date to make up for deficiencies occurring during the interim period.

F[ranklin] D. R[oosevelt]