841.5151/954: Telegram
The Chargé in the United Kingdom (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
[Received August 17—5:30 p.m.]
788. For Assistant Secretary of the Treasury Taylor from Butterworth. Phillips has just telephoned me to say that he gave the British answer, along the lines indicated in my 784, August 17, 7 p.m. to Monick earlier this evening. Monick was very disgruntled about its substance and said that the British were driving them to a course of action that the British themselves did not like. Phillips said that he frankly replied that that was bunk.
Phillips also stated that he gathered that the French would probably appeal to us and that Monick had gone so far as to ask what would be the British Government’s attitude if the French could persuade the United States to make a statement without British assent. Phillips replied that he would be glad to have a look at any such statement and he felt sure that the United States would afford the British Government an opportunity to do so before any such possible statement was made public. I venture to say that such a course of [Page 295] action as Monick suggested seemed most unlikely and I felt equally sure that Phillips was right in his assumption.
The Secretary of the Treasury telephoned me tonight and asked about the position. I supplied him with the kind of summary that can be given over the transcontinental telephone. He said that Cochran would meet him in Basel on Friday morning and he requested that I attempt to get there also; and it was arranged that I would go if it were practicable, and that in any case Cochran would carry with him all available documents.
I believe a plane leaves tomorrow shortly before 1 p.m. May I hear from you before then? [Butterworth.]