883.00/119: Telegram

The Commission to Negotiate Peace to the Acting Secretary of State

1722. For Department’s information. I have to-day, in view of necessity of immediate action sent the following telegram to our Agency at Cairo.

[Page 203]

“I have delivered today to Mr. Balfour following letter.

‘In answer to your inquiry the President has authorized me to inform you that he recognizes the British protectorate over Egypt which was announced by His Majesty’s Government on November [December] 18, 1914.3

‘The President has no objection to this decision being made public as he understands that it may help in the restoration of order and in the prevention of further bloodshed in [Egypt].

‘You will no doubt realize, my dear Mr. Minister, that in according this recognition, the President must necessarily reserve for further discussion the details of formal recognition together with the question of a modification of any rights of the United States which this decision on his part may entail.’

“You may confer with General Allenby as to the best method of giving publicity to the contents of this. In that connection, I think it is proper that you might indicate that the President and the American people have every sympathy with the legitimate desires of the Egyptian people for a further measure of self government but that they [deplore] the effort to obtain such rights by anarchy and violence.”

[Lansing]

American Mission