Office of the Historian

760F.62/1376: Telegram

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

Rome, October 1, 1938—noon.
[Received October 1—8:45 a.m.]

277. Department’s telegram No. 94, September 30, 11 a.m.

1.
Telegram conveying the President’s message was delivered at the Embassy after 1 a.m. September 28. As it bore no indication of urgency the night watchman in accordance with his standing instructions did not notify the code clerk of its receipt until 7 a.m. Telegram was decoded at 8:30 a.m.
2.
As soon as Foreign Office opened the Counselor put in a call for Grazzi, Chief of the Transoceanic Division. Grazzi responded at [Page 704] 9:45 and was requested to arrange audience for me with the Duce in order that I might present confidential and personal message from the President. Contents of the message were not communicated to Grazzi but an unmistakable intimation of its purport was conveyed to him when the audience was requested. Ciano has told me that he was of course aware of the President’s message at that time.
Phillips