811.34544/713: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant)
910. For the Ambassador and the President’s Base Lease Commission. Your 1047, 18th.97 The Ambassador and the members of the President’s Base Lease Commission are hereby authorized to sign for the United States of America the agreement now under negotiation with respect to the use and operation of the bases leased to the United States in exchange for the 50 destroyers.
If the agreement in its entirety has received the approval of this Government your signatures for the United States will be without qualification. If, however, the final text of the agreement has not received the approval of this Government you will sign ad referendum as to those articles or clauses which are still subject to the approval of this Government.
You will understand that approval by this Government of the final text entails approval by the Secretaries of State, War, and Navy, the Attorney General, and the final approval by the President. Notification to you of approval of the final text, or any part thereof, may be considered as indicating the approval of the President and the Cabinet officers above mentioned.
- Not printed.↩