882.20/628a: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant)
5504. The British Broadcasting Company on October 17 and October 18 made detailed announcements of the arrival and significance of American troops in Liberia, which were thereupon published in the American press. It appears that the origin of these announcements was a message filed by Mr. Murdoch, the Reuters correspondent in Monrovia, which was passed by President Barclay on the assumption that the British Censor would not permit publication of vital information of a military nature. The Government of Liberia was greatly disturbed at the announcement of American military activities in Liberia at this time, while the United States War Department was equally concerned at the publication of this military information through British channels without prior consultation with American officials.
Oral representations were promptly made on the subject to the British Embassy in Washington, and the matter was simultaneously taken up by the War Department with the British representative on the Joint Security Control Committee. Nevertheless, on October 30 additional detailed announcements were made by Reuters concerning American military activities in Liberia, the attitude of the Liberian Government in the war, and the recent confidential visit to Monrovia of Lieutenant Colonel Harry A. McBride, who had negotiated an agreement with the Liberian authorities for the presence of American forces in Liberia. Although Reuters cables are routed through New York, in absence of agreement our censor would assume censorship would take place in London or authorization at origin.
We are at a loss to understand why publicity should be given by the British to these matters without consulting us, particularly after the representations already made. In this connection, representatives of the Fighting French in Liberia have expressed to the American Chargé d’Affaires their concern regarding such announcements from British sources as to present military activities on the west coast of Africa. It is pointed out that public references of this kind are likely to give the Germans the necessary basis on which to endeavor to force an agreement upon the French Government for complete control by Germany of the French colonies in Africa.
Other instances of this character include a Reuters despatch in the latter part of July which stated that American troops had arrived in Accra, on the Gold Coast; a report in the London Daily Telegraph on October 20 that the main task of American troops in West Africa was to “combat the growing menace of U-boats” which were alleged to be [Page 400] “operating from Dakar and adjacent French territory”; and an erroneous report published by the Exchange Telegraph on October 20 to the effect that an American garrison had been stationed on the island of Bahrein in the Persian Gulf. It is of course assumed that the publication of these despatches and reports was authorized by the British censor.
Please bring these facts to the attention of the appropriate authorities of the British Government as soon as possible with the request that immediate steps be taken to prevent a recurrence of incidents of this kind.