852.00/8117
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Chief of the Division of European Affairs (Moffat)
Mr. Broadmead, First Secretary of the British Embassy, called this afternoon to say that the Ambassador had received a telegram from Lord Halifax stating that he was anxious to proceed with the appointment of the Commission to investigate bombing in Spain. Sweden and Norway had now accepted. Lord Halifax, however, did not wish to make an announcement until the United States had replied one way or the other, but if a reply were not forthcoming by June 20th the presumption would be that the United States would not take part in its work.
I told Mr. Broadmead that no reply had as yet been sent, and that, as I saw the matter, there were three courses open to us: (a) to accept, (b) to decline, or (c) to return no answer, which would be considered inferentially as a declination. I said that of course we wished to do [Page 217] nothing that would hinder the success of the Commission; on the other hand the suggestion had raised several doubts in our minds.
I told Mr. Broadmead, therefore, that I would speak to you74 on the matter and hoped to be in a position to tell him whether or not we would send a definite answer or allow the question to go by default.
Later, in accordance with the Secretary’s instructions, I telephoned Mr. Broadmead, at four o’clock, that “the situation was so kaleidoscopic we were not in a position to make a decision as soon as the British had a right to expect. We did not therefore feel that they should wait for our decision before going ahead with such countries as had already accepted.”75
- Notation on this memorandum indicates it was sent to the Secretary of State and the Under Secretary of State.↩
- On July 13, 1938, the Department was informed that the British Government must, in view of difficulties encountered in the formation of an international commission, now arrange for the constitution of a British commission for the object in view.↩