850.33/6–850
The British Ambassador in the United States (Franks) to the Secretary of State
personal
Dear Dean: Mr. Bevin has asked me to tell you that though he is in hospital he is in touch with the development of Anglo-French discussions about the Schuman Plan, and is quite sure that we have taken the only line possible for us. Where matters of such vital importance are at stake, we cannot buy a pig in a poke, and he is pretty sure that if the Americans had been placed in a similar position they would have thought the same. Whatever the other countries may have done, it was not possible for us to take the risk of having to go back on our word once we had bound ourselves to certain principles. He does not think Anglo-French relations will suffer. Indeed, he thinks it all to the good that where there are differences these should be brought out into the open and discussed dispassionately with full comprehension on both sides. He is confident that our relations with the French will remain as intimate as ever. He has just had a cordial message from M. Schuman about the Atlantic Council meeting.
Yours sincerely,