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Memorandum of Conversation, by the Secretary of State
The British Ambassador called at his request and I said that with respect to Djibouti and the confused situation existing there that to avoid bloodshed or danger of a clash among French factions with the serious risk of bad repercussions throughout northwest Africa at this critical time seriously affecting the military campaign there, this Government would suggest the advisability of the British and the American Governments each selecting an individual and these two persons in turn selecting a suitable Frenchman not conspicuously identified with either French faction and let him become the head of the French civil affairs at Djibouti. The Ambassador said that he would put that up to his Government.