740.00119 Council/3–1347: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Secretary of State, at Moscow
509. Secdel No. 1332. This is a progress report on the Greek matter. The President’s message yesterday was received by the Congress and press in a most sober but generally favorable way. This morning I appeared with Forrestal and Patterson for two hours at Executive Session of Senate Foreign Relations Committee. We will appear tomorrow morning at a similar session of House Committee. There was no opposition but many doubts and worries at today’s meeting. We have spoken to meetings of bankers and businessmen and will address a meeting of publishers. We expect legislation to be introduced in the House today and hearings to start there first. At present Vandenberg, though most helpful, inclines to believe that in Senate leadership should be taken by Democratic side. We hope that on further thought he will be willing to take equal place in leadership in Senate.
We need help from you with Bevin on following matter. Apart from British brigade in Greece British have approximately 280 officers and 1100 enlisted men acting as training mission with Greek Army. War Department believes it to be of great importance to continue and maintain this mission. They believe it would take us many months to duplicate it with much loss of efficiency in the meantime. In our opinion this is the type of cooperation which the British can and should give us in Greece.