845.01/171: Telegram

The Personal Representative of the President in India ( Johnson ) to the Secretary of State

219. For the President and the Secretary. For some days I have been negotiating to get a formula within the scope of convictions Cripps expressed to me which would be acceptable to the Congress. I expect to have this formula in the shape of a Declaration of Policy which the Congress would approve back to me from Nehru Monday morning. It will be cabled so as to be in Washington at an early hour Monday. I have not dealt with Moslem League represented by Jinnah because I know from Cripps’ talk and actions and otherwise that the Moslem League has been used by the British as a counter force to the Congress and that approval or rejection of any program along this line by Jinnah will be as desired by His Majesty’s Government. If the President can get Churchill to agree to this new Declaration, there should also be an understanding that the first advice to the Congress must be through me to Nehru to avoid embarrassment to Nehru. In other words, in the first instance the Viceroy should not make the sole announcement in India.

I am confident that the final draft approved by Nehru will be such that Cripps will support it and that the best interests of America will be served by insisting upon its acceptance by the British. It should be taken up with Churchill Monday before debate begins in Parliament Tuesday or else debate should be postponed.

Johnson