Office of the Historian

867N.01/1167a: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Kennedy)

Washington, October 12, 1938—5 p.m.

621. Personal for the Ambassador. Unless you perceive serious objection I should like to have you see Lord Halifax72 at your early convenience and, entirely personally and unofficially, inform him that during the past few days the White House and the Department have received thousands of telegrams and letters from all over the United States protesting against the alleged intention of the British Government to alter the terms of the Palestine Mandate in such a way as to curtail or eliminate Jewish immigration and thus jeopardize the policy established by the Balfour Declaration. In speaking to Lord Halifax please make your approach along the lines indicated in my telegram 285 of July 27, 1936,73 to Ambassador Bingham, stressing the fact that you do not presume to interfere in any way with the policy which Great Britain may adopt regarding Palestine and [Page 953] explaining that in your personal capacity you are bringing these developments to his attention as matters about which he would wish to be informed and for such consideration as they may merit.

Please address your reply as personal to me.

Hull
  1. British Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.↩
  2. Foreign Relations, 1936, vol. iii, p. 444.↩