Office of the Historian

884.001 Selassie I/345: Telegram

The Ambassador in Italy (Phillips) to the Secretary of State

Rome, November 20, 1936—3 p.m.
[Received November 20—12:05 p.m.]

416. Count Ciano72 informs me that the ex-Negus is still planning to go to the United States for purposes of propaganda. He has sent me a list of persons and associations in the United States who, according to his information, are sponsoring the trip. It appears that the director of the group is William Leo Hansberry, the secretary William M. Steen, both of Washington, D. C. The complete list will be sent by mail unless requested by telegraph by the Department. Count Ciano feels that any such expedition for propaganda purposes would be most unfortunate.

I have told him that this plan of the Negus had been brought to our attention while I was still in the Department and that I was under the impression that it had been abandoned.

Phillips
  1. Count Galeazzo Ciano, Italian Minister for Foreign Affairs.↩