894.6363/379
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Adviser on Political Relations (Hornbeck)
Mr. Butler, Minister Counselor of the British Embassy, called on me this afternoon at his request.
Mr. Butler showed me a revised edition of a memorandum on the Japanese oil situation of which he had brought me an earlier edition some ten days ago. I had, when he brought me the earlier edition, pointed out certain inaccuracies in statements involving the Department of State and had suggested revision thereof. In the new edition the revisions had been made.—Mr. Butler also showed me a memorandum, without subject heading, which dealt with the subject of oil policy in relation to Thailand.
Having put these memoranda in my hands, Mr. Butler proceeded to register, in friendly tones but with expressions of pained regret, a complaint to the general effect that his Government had addressed to this Government through him and through me, in November last,21 certain observations on the subject of oil policy, and had received no reply. Mr. Butler said that this situation reflected upon him and that his Government was pressing its new Ambassador22 here to get action where its Chargé had been unsuccessful. I said to Mr. Butler that it was a matter of regret to me that any matter regarding which there were contacts between him and me should be productive of embarrassment to him, but that if he would review developments in the matter—which I proceeded to outline—I thought he would agree with me that [Page 788] the fact that his Government had received no reply was due to circumstances over which neither he nor I had any substantial measure of control. There followed some discussion of the problems, procedures, possibilities, et cetera, involved; and in the light of that discussion I suggested to Mr. Butler that either he or the British Ambassador leave the two memoranda which Mr. Butler had just shown me with the Secretary or the Under Secretary of State. After some further discussion, Mr. Butler left me with the impression that he would suggest to Lord Halifax that he leave them with the Under Secretary.