Foreign Relations of the United States, The Conferences at Washington, 1941–1942, and Casablanca, 1943

Hull Papers

The Secretary of State to the President ¹

Washington, January 2, 1942.

Memorandum for the President

Referring to the conversation between you and the British Prime Minister and myself today² in regard to a communiqué by you and the Prime Minister in order to quiet steadily spreading rumors and reports very damaging to the British-American situation, some of the gentlemen here in the Department prepared the enclosed memorandum in the hope that it might be of possible aid to you.

I may say that the French Ambassador has just left my office and I went after him very strongly about simply closing down the wireless station and agreeing for a Canadian citizen to be about the premises at all times to see that it is kept closed down, and also to change Governors—all of this to be done if and as the Free French who are occupying the islands make their departure, thereby restoring the status quo.³ He committed himself strongly to a promise to communicate tonight with his Government and arrange for such concurring action.

If he should succeed, the question again arises as to whether the Prime Minister will cooperate with us to see that the Free French, having thus made their contribution to clearing up this wireless situation, move out, with the thanks of their friends interested. This proposed communiqué that I am attaching hereto would be a suitable prelude to such possible settlement as I have just outlined.

[Enclosure]

Draft Communiqué⁴

The President and the Prime Minister of Great Britain have had under consideration the St. Pierre-Miquelon incident and have been studying this problem with a view to working it out in complete cooperation. They are in entire agreement that an arrangement satisfactory to all concerned should not be difficult and the matter is receiving further attention, having in mind the commitments of the Government of the United States under the Habana Treaty of 1940⁵ and other international policies and agreements of great importance to the conduct of the war. Meanwhile in the light of the relevant facts there should be no occasion for confusion or misunderstanding since there is complete cooperation and understanding between the United States, Great Britain and Canada in this as in other matters.

1. The source text bears the typewritten initials of Hull as the drafter but carries no signature.
2. For an editorial note on the conversation under reference, see ante, p. 156.
3. For Hull’s memorandum of his conversation with the French Ambassador, see Foreign Relations, 1942, vol. ii, p. 655.
4. Copies of the draft were sent by Hull to Churchill in the White House and to Mackenzie King at Ottawa (Memorandum Relating to the St. Pierre-Miquelon Situation, January 11, 1942, 851A.01/1–1142).
5. For documentation regarding this treaty, see Foreign Relations, 1940, vol. v, pp. 180 ff.; for text of treaty, see Department of State Treaty Series No. 977 or 56 Stat. (pt. 2) 1273.