740.0011 European War 1939/14298: Telegram
The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant) to the Secretary of State
[Received 6:45 p.m.]
3843. Your 3352, August 23, reached me this morning. I have just been able to get in touch with Mr. Eden. He knew nothing of the United Press despatch from London and asked me to state his very real regret that such a report had come out of England.
I do not think the statement appeared in the British press.
I reread to him the Department’s 3182, August 16, which he told me he had had in mind and which he had appreciated some days ago.
He also told me he had been disturbed by other releases from London that have either appeared in the press in England or elsewhere.
He will immediately investigate and report to me on his findings. He also is going to take action to prevent the repetition of similar situations.
The man who collects this information for the United Press is Fred Kuh. He came in to see me on the 18th to discuss the Allied Economic Conference. He asked me if I was free to give him information on the subject and I told him no, I was not. He then said he would have no [Page 414] trouble getting it and would like to come back and discuss it at a later date. On leaving my office lie made some reference to Iran and the British and Russian notes but we had no conversation on the subject beyond his saying that he hoped England would be hardboiled in taking action if necessary.
On the 22d he returned ostensibly to discuss the Allied Economic Council business and had in the interim gotten complete information on the subject. His object in coming, however, was to discuss Iran. I told him I had very little information on the subject beyond what he had already told me and which was generally known here, namely, that the Iran Government had made an unfavorable reply to the British. He then said that he thought it would be a great mistake if troops were sent into Iran and that he had hoped that the United States might offer to replace the German technicians there. I made no comment but felt that he had come to plant this idea. I was curious because of his reversal of opinion within 3 days as he is intelligent and too well informed. These conversations only lasted a few minutes.
When I saw Eden that evening on another matter I asked him if there had been any suggestion about American technicians going into Iran. He told me yes the Turkish Ambassador87a had made that suggestion that afternoon. Eden plainly gave it no weight.
In the light of your message I feel that the report may have been sent as a deliberate effort to confuse the situation. Where the alleged statement as quoted in your message to me came from I do not know. I am making further investigation.
- Tevfik Rüstü Aras.↩