800.796/754
The Assistant Secretary of State (Berle) to the First Secretary of the British Embassy (Barclay)
My Dear Mr. Barclay: Please transmit the following to Lord Beaverbrook:
“Thank you for your messages of April 17 and 24. I very much hope we shall have the privilege of continuing to work on this matter and of working together on other matters, and that we shall have the opportunity of returning your hospitality here, though we can do it less royally than you do.
“The Russians state they are on the way, but they have not got here and I have no knowledge what is holding them up. The Chinese representatives have been designated and we propose to begin any time. We shall, of course, keep you advised in both cases.
“We have likewise reported fully to the respective Committees of the United States Senate on our conversations, and my impression is that they feel that very satisfactory progress was made in London. They were especially appreciative of your statement about air bases, and cordially endorsed my statement about planes being made available on a nondiscriminatory basis to Britain in the interim before British production gets going. The Canadians seem happy, and all we need to make some real progress is the arrival of the two Moscow delegates.
“We have withheld public statement, but there is generally a favorable climate here, and I think there will be no misunderstandings over air to complicate the very great problems our two Governments must tackle jointly. Regards. Berle.”
Sincerely yours,