500.A15 a 1/430: Telegram
The Chairman of the American Delegation (Gibson) to the Secretary of State
[Received 2:07 p.m.]
91. Your No. 42, July 12, noon. Stories of similar nature emanating from British sources have been circulated here in regard to activities of representatives of steel interests and others who are interested in the building of a big navy.65 I have several times had questions asked me about this by British press correspondents, but nobody has been able to point out who these representatives of special interests are. We know of no one who answers description. It is my own opinion the assertions made are effort by British to explain attitude of American press. The aggressive spirit evinced by American correspondents here comes not from any outside inspiration but, so they tell me, wholly from their indignation at what they regard as raw efforts of one of the other delegations to use them against interests of their own country. This reaction among our correspondents has been unanimous regardless of politics and to us it seems obvious that this is correct explanation. The British have not handled press well throughout Conference, and seem unable to understand that American journalists are fundamentally self-respecting and patriotic. Repeated to London.
- For subsequent inquiries into this subject, see Alleged Activities at the Geneva Conference: Hearings before a subcommittee of the Committee on Naval Affairs, United States Senate, 71st Cong., 1st sess., pursuant to S. Res. 114 (Washington, Government Printing Office, 1930).↩