811.203/2–2743
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Secretary of State
The British Ambassador37 called at his request and brought up very specially the subject matter of a recent cable from Mr. Winant,38 in which he set forth the British complaint about the lack of British jurisdiction to punish Americans for crimes committed in that country apart from those pertaining to the duties and functions of seamen. I thanked him and said that this was primarily a matter for the War Department, but that his arguments seemed plausible at first blush to the extent that it might call for further examination or review by my Government and that in any event I would be glad to encourage by suitable means the hastening of consideration of this matter by the War Department coupled with any legitimate cooperation on the part of the State Department.