893.51/6720
Memorandum by the Secretary of State of a Conversation With the British Ambassador (Lindsay)
The Ambassador, during his call, said that the Ambassador of China at London had called at the Foreign Office and represented that this Government was doing different important things in aid of China and that the British Government was not making any particular showing in this direction; that his earnest appeal was that something be done by Great Britain. The Ambassador then handed me what he called a copy of his oral conversation relative to this Chinese matter38 [Page 566] and suggested that I transmit it to the Far Eastern Division for their examination and that he would then call on them and discuss the matter more in detail. I replied that I would be glad to do this. I also said that it was not necessary for me to refer to the large purchases of silver from China by this Government or to the campaign led by President Roosevelt for a million dollars of relief,39 in practical effect, for China, or to our attitude of opposition to the sale of military airplanes, et cetera, to Japan by the private producer.40 I finally added that my associates in the Far Eastern Division would be glad to go into any details with him.
There was some comment on the international situation, especially as it relates to economic recovery, but little new, however, in addition to what has frequently been said by and between us on these subjects in the past.