867N.01/11–2445
The British Ambassador (Halifax) to the Secretary of State
My Dear Secretary of State: Mr. Bevin asks me to tell you that, while he still feels the doubts which he has already expressed to you on the wisdom of fettering the Palestine Committee with a fixed time limit, he is prepared to defer to your wishes. He suggests that some [Page 831] such formula as the following might be used by our two Governments in announcing the formation of the Committee.
“His Majesty’s Government in the United Kingdom and the United States Government wish to urge on the Committee the need for the utmost expedition in dealing with the subjects committed to them for investigation and request that they may be furnished with their report within 120 days of the inception of the enquiry”.
He hopes that you will be able to agree to something on these lines.
Mr. Bevin adds that he consents to the above on the understanding that if the Committee has not finished its work within the time stated, the period will of course be extended.
Mr. Bevin also agrees to your suggestion that the Committee should be composed of six British and six American members, with rotating chairmanship.
The following will be the British members:
- Mr. Justice Singleton (the Honourable Sir J. E. Singleton) of the King’s Bench Division of the High Court of Justice. He will be the British Chairman.
- Lord Morrison.
- Sir Frederick Leggett (until recently Deputy Secretary of the Ministry of Labour and National Services).
- Mr. Crick, Economic Adviser to the Midland Bank.
- Mr. Crossman, M.P. (Labour).
- Major Manningham Buller, M.P. (Conservative).
The two members of the House of Commons are being chosen as men of sound common sense and integrity who have not committed themselves in any way on the Palestine question.
Mr. Bevin is appointing two Secretaries and presumes that you will do the same.
I shall be grateful if you can let me know as soon as possible whether you are in agreement with the above. If so, it would presumably remain to draft a joint or simultaneous statements containing the names of the American as well as of the British members of the Committee, and to fix a very early date for the announcement.
Yours sincerely,