592. Editorial Note
At 8:25 p.m. in London (3:25 p.m. in Washington), Ambassador Aldrich telephoned President Eisenhower to inform him that the guess which he had made in telegram 2791 (Document 588) was correct and that he would be sending a full report of his most recent conversation with Macmillan (infra). Eisenhower at 3:35 p.m. then telephoned Hoover, who read to the President the complete text of telegram 2791 from London. According to the memorandum of this conversation, prepared in the Office of the President, “Hoover said it is very interesting, in that they are putting proposition up to us. They will either have to withdraw from Egypt, & have their Cabinet fall—or else they would have to renew hostilities, taking over entire Canal. Mr. Hoover’s comment: Obviously things are very much in the making there. I think this is one time to sit tight, awaiting his further information.”
At 3:45, Eisenhower telephoned Secretary Humphrey concerning Aldrich’s report and noted that he and Humphrey had discussed the possibility of a change in the British Government at an earlier time. According to the memorandum of conversation, “The President told him that Amb. Aldrich says part of it is coming about—that there are a lot of conditions we cannot possibly meet. Will discuss it further tomorrow morning. Mr. Humphrey: ‘I hate to have a man stick in there, & go to a vote of confidence & get licked.’ (Memorandum of conversations prepared in the Office of the President, November 19; Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, Eisenhower Diaries)