859A.01/46: Telegram
The Chargé in Germany (Kirk) to the Secretary of State
[Received 7:35 p.m.]
1302. My 1176, May 1, 1 p.m.4 Yesterday’s and this morning’s press published reports of the British occupation of Iceland which is pictured as an unprovoked aggression against a small and utterly defenseless people and thus as demonstrating the hypocrisy of England’s righteous indignation against Germany for its action to protect the neutrality of other small nations from British encroachment. The DAZ5 this afternoon publishes a brief editorial which argues that Iceland is closer to Greenland in which the United States has manifested interest than to Scotland and therefore is to be regarded as in the Western Hemisphere and as falling within the scope of the Monroe [Page 680] Doctrine. The British action which is described as a side show to divert public attention from British failures on the Continent is said accordingly to be of primary interest to the United States and not to Germany.