760F.62/1010

Memorandum of Conversation, by the Chief of the Division of European Affairs (Moffat)

The French Ambassador called this noon to see what our reaction was to the visit of Chamberlain to Hitler. He said that the liberal elements in New York were fearful of what this might bring forth, but he had told them that he thought it a good move which should be tried. In any event, no one had suggested anything better. Several newspaper men had asked him for off the record conferences and he had taken this point of view.

He asked whether we had any confirmation of reports that the Germans had put as a condition to Mr. Chamberlain’s trip the holding of a plebiscite under international control. I told him that we had no information to that effect. He asked what we thought about it. I told him that no matter what transpired, the visit would give us thirty-six to forty-eight hours of respite and that that definitely was to the good; for instance, I had seen no reports of rioting in Sudetenland this morning. The Secretary would undoubtedly be questioned at the press conference, and, if so, was planning to say that the historical meeting between the Prime Minister of Great Britain and the Chancellor of Germany was being observed with the greatest interest by [Page 605] all nations which are concerned in the preservation of peace. The Ambassador said he thought that would be useful and that it would not set off any unfavorable reactions.

As a matter of fact, the Secretary in his talk yesterday had informed the Ambassador that there had been a new flare-up of isolationist sentiment. He had not appreciated it at the time, but in the last twenty-four hours he had been studying editorials from all over the country and appreciated that there had been this small flare-up. On the other hand, the tone of the great New York papers struck him as most helpful and as seeing the picture in its major proportions.

I told the Ambassador that the President was coming straight to Washington instead of going to Hyde Park and would be here at about seven o’clock tonight. The Ambassador said that this change of plans would give considerable comfort in Europe in that they would feel that he was following developments with his usual keen interest.

Pierrepont Moffat