841.24/814: Telegram
The Ambassador in the United Kingdom ( Winant ) to the Secretary of State
[Received September 30—10:15 a.m.]
4617. Personal for the Secretary. In relation to my message 4609 [4606], September 29, midnight. This morning the Chancellor asked me if I would see him. He explained that Mr. Eden’s telephone conversation with me was not exactly accurate in that Lord Halifax had taken with him draft memoranda which he wanted to discuss personally with Dean Acheson. He asked that I not request a copy of the memoranda until Lord Halifax had an opportunity to speak with Mr. Acheson. He further told me that the Dominion Governments were being consulted and that they expected a reply within the next 2 or 3 days.
[Page 38]It is my guess that the British may ask to make a similar substitution of language (my message 4013, September 1, midnight43) as was suggested by them when we discussed the exception clause “with due respect for their existing obligations” in the fourth article of the Roosevelt-Churchill statement.44 In this situation and at this time contrary to the advice I gave in the last paragraph of my message 4013, September 1, midnight, I believe we should insist on articles even of the provisional draft given me when I was last in Washington including the provision against discrimination. I think this can be gotten without open debate in Parliament but if it came to debate on this issue while the Parliament was considering Lend-Lease I believe the majority of the Conservatives, Liberals, and the entire labor block would give their support. I doubt if you will get a better opportunity to press this matter.
For reasons that are good and that you would understand and approve I would particularly ask that this message to you be not given to Lord Halifax or any other British representative.
- Vol. i, p. 370.↩
- Joint statement by President Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Churchill on August 14, 1941, known as the Atlantic Charter; for text, see vol. i, p. 367.↩