740.00112 European War 1939/1188

Memorandum by the Assistant Chief of the Division of European Affairs (Hickerson)

I have read and considered carefully the British reply to our protest of December 8 last against their interference with exports from Germany. A copy of the Embassy’s telegram quoting this note is attached.37 I consider this note a combination of misstatements of international law and propaganda. It would be comparatively easy to draft a reply to this note taking issue with a number of their statements of law, but I do not believe that we would get anywhere; and I recommend that this note be filed without reply. I suggest that instead of replying to this note we press for favorable action in individual cases.

This being a British note, obviously we can take no action in the matter of making it public; if the British wish to make it public, they will of course do so.

J[ohn] D. H[ickerson]
  1. Telegram No. 437, February 22, 3 p.m., from the Chargé in the United Kingdom, p. 24.