500.A15 a 1/381: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Great Britain (Houghton)
151. Your No. 156, July 7, noon. It would be useful, I think, for you to try to see either Baldwin or Chamberlain and discuss entire situation in accordance with your six suggestions, except that I should deplore any mention of the debt settlement as open to serious misinterpretation. It seems to me that you also should add that public opinion in the United States is unanimously opposed to idea conveyed by the very extensive British cruiser program and that public opinion here is likely to see in that program a threat to this country, as there can be no other power against whom Great Britain would feel necessity of protecting herself to the extent she seeks, and as any projected treaty would include safeguard clause which would make possible examination of treaty for revision in the event of threatening building programs by any other powers.