867N.01/1898: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the United Kingdom ( Winant )
6063. Department’s 4767, August 7, 5 p.m. and your 5235, August 10, 4 p.m. Please inform the Foreign Office of our understanding that agreement was reached at Quebec to review from time to time the question of issuing a joint statement in regard to Palestine. We have no new suggestions to offer at the moment, although we are aware of the delicacy of the situation resulting from the outcome of the arms trial in Palestine, the resolution on Palestine adopted by the recent American Jewish Conference, et cetera.
The Foreign Office will, we think, be interested to know that a copy of the British memorandum on Palestine dated August 21 which was handed to us at Quebec was communicated to the Secretary of War [Page 815] who has replied expressing regret that the British Foreign Minister and Minister for the Colonies are disappointed in the opinion previously expressed by him. The Secretary of War observes, however, that the British representations have not caused him to alter his view that there is not sufficient military basis for the initiation of any action by the United States respecting the situation in Palestine. While the War Department will not oppose action by the Department of State on the proposed declaration, the Secretary of War remains of the opinion that it is unwarranted from his standpoint.