760F.62/11172/10
Memorandum of Trans-Atlantic Telephone Conversation Between the Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Kennedy) and the Under Secretary of State (Welles)
Mr. Welles: I have been listening to your voice during the past twenty-four hours but have not had a chance to talk to you. I want to tell you two things. I left the President a few minutes ago. He was enormously pleased and deeply gratified with a message Chamberlain sent in reply. At his request I gave it immediately to the press so that it will get full publicity here. The second thing—In your talk with the Secretary this morning you indicated a possibility, with regard to Chamberlain broadcasting tomorrow night, that in [Page 661] addition to his broadcast to the British public he might broadcast to the United States. The President wants to let you know that he does not want the latter done. Of course the speech to the British public will be rebroadcast here. Any reference in that address to the similarity of ideals, to the similarity of love of peace of the two peoples would be all to the good but a direct message to the American public might be misconstrued.
Mr. Kennedy: Supposing it isn’t just a broadcast to America but that American companies pick up this broadcast to England?
Mr. Welles: That would be all to the good.
Mr. Kennedy: I’ll fix that up—just broadcast to England and American companies pick it up.
Mr. Welles: A direct broadcast would be interpreted as an appeal to the United States and would be undesirable at this moment.
Mr. Kennedy: I will take care of it. I am waiting for an expression of opinion from Chamberlain and Halifax. Will send it along to you.
Mr. Welles: I can’t tell you how admirably you have been keeping us informed. It couldn’t be better.