Hopkins Papers

The Prime Minister’s Private Secretary (Martin) to the President’s Special Assistant (Hopkins)

secret

Mr. Hopkins. (Private)

Colonel Warden1 asked me to send you this telegram to see. Could you please let me have it back.2

J. M. Martin
[Enclosure]

The British Minister in Saudi Arabia (Jordan) to the British Foreign Office

secret

War Cabinet Distribution—Repeated to Minister of State Cairo.3

475. My telegram No. 455.4

Ibn Saud has sent me a message from Mecca to the effect that United States representative in Jedda asked him the following questions on November 13th.

1)
Has Saudi Arabian Government asked His Majesty’s Government for arms?
2)
If so when did they make their request to His Majesty’s Government?
3)
What arms did Saudi Arabian Government ask for?
4)
Has anything been promised by His Majesty’s Government?
5)
What has arrived?
6)
Are arms being supplied by His Majesty’s Government as a gift or against payment?
7)
Did His Majesty’s Government offer to supply arms or did the question arise out of a demand from Saudi Arabian Government?
2.
Ibn Saud informed my United States colleague that His Majesty’s Government had promised to supply 50 light reconnaissance cars but that none had arrived to date. He did not know if payment was expected or whether they were being supplied under Lease Lend in accordance with the list of Saudi Arabian arms requirements submitted to His Majesty’s Government by Saudi Arabian representative in London for supply under Lease Lend.
3.
I feel my United States colleague’s action in putting these questions to Ibn Saud is unfortunate as it would appear to show 1) a lack of collaboration between His Majesty’s Government and United States on this question and 2) United States distrust of any information given them by His Majesty’s Government.
4.
I venture to suggest that we should come to some agreement with United States over the quantities of war material to be supplied to Saudi Arabian Government as soon as possible and inform Ibn Saud accordingly.
  1. Churchill.
  2. There is no evidence of a written reply from Hopkins to Martin. Hopkins did however, obtain the comments of the American Minister Resident in Saudi Arabia (Moose) on the enclosed telegram from the British Minister. See post, p. 447.
  3. Richard Casey.
  4. Not found in United States files.