[Attachment 1—Paraphrase of
Telegram]
The British Lord President of the Council
(Anderson) to Prime
Minister Churchill
[London,] August 28,
1943.
Tube Alloys
. Reference your
Welfare
450.4
I am distressed at this report on Akers, who has rendered most
excellent service as our Chief Executive on
Tube Alloys
and about whose integrity and ability I have not the
slightest doubt. During negotiations in Washington5 there was a suggestion that the United States
authorities would not regard Akers as a suitable person to
represent us on the Combined Policy Committee, an attitude which
could be understood having regard to the fact that his work lies
in the field of technical rather than political direction. No
objection was however then raised to our using him for the sort
of purpose for which he is now in the United States—namely, to
co-ordinate the views and activities of the representatives of
our individual scientific groups and to act as Chief Technical
Assistant and Adviser to our representatives on the Policy
Committee.
I should add that the four eminent British Scientific
workers6 were sent over on my instructions.
This step was clearly necessary if time was not to be
unnecessarily wasted and was in accordance with the following
passage taken from the 5th paragraph of Dr. Bush’s letter of the
6th August to me:—7
“As a matter of procedure the first step, after the
formation of the Policy Committee, would certainly seem
to be the presentation to that Committee by American and
British Scientists of the overall picture of the current
situation in their respective countries and the plans
for the future. On the basis of the evidence thus
presented the Policy Committee would agree as to the
method of providing specific interchange to carry out
the provisions of the agreement.”
Evidently however Akers’s inclusion among our representatives on
Tube Alloys
in Washington has caused trouble in the past and is
[Page 1312]
likely to continue
to do so, and this is a fact which, in the interests of the
prosecution of that project as a joint enterprise, we cannot
afford to ignore. I accordingly suggest for your consideration
that you should propose to the President that Sir Edward
Appleton should at once go out to Washington on a short visit.
The purpose of his visit would be first to help to arrange for
launching of the Combined Committee, and secondly to submit to
me recommendations regarding any adjustments which he may
consider that the establishment of the Combined Committee makes
necessary in our present arrangements for the technical
direction of our work on the project.
In the latter connection an important factor to which we have
every right to give full consideration is the general cohesion
and contentment of our workers on the project. I doubt whether
the recommendations which Appleton will have to make will affect
anything more than our representation on the technical level in
Washington, but even in that respect he will have to bear in
mind the position of our team in Canada who have hitherto been
accustomed to look to Akers for technical direction. I do not
think that either Dale or Tizard would be suitable for this
Mission, indeed I am convinced that Appleton is the only man for
it. Besides having the scientific eminence apparently required,
he is also the permanent Head of the Department of Scientific
and Industrial Research, of which the Directorate of
Tube Alloys
is a part. He thus has some general responsibility in
the matter and also intimate knowledge of all the personalities
involved on our side. I have every reason to believe that he
will be acceptable to the American Scientists, with whom he has
always been on the best of terms. I should be grateful if you
could telegraph as soon as possible whether Appleton should
go.
We cannot possibly hope to be able to conceal from Akers the fact
that objection has been taken to him from the American side,
though we need not, of course, make any specific mention of
Bush.
[Attachment 2—Telegram]
The British Lord President of the Council
(Anderson) to Prime
Minister Churchill
most secret
[London,] September 2,
1943.
There is an excellent opportunity of sending Appleton by fast
boat due to reach New York towards the end of next week, but
this will involve his leaving London tomorrow night September
3rd.
[Page 1313]
After careful consideration I have come to the conclusion that,
even if immediate difficulties about Akers’s personal position
should be cleared up otherwise, it would still be very valuable
for Appleton to pay a visit to Washington at this stage.
Combining as he does a general knowledge of the whole field of
Anglo-American co-operation on scientific matters with a
particular responsibility, as head of the D.S.I.R.N. for the scientific
side of
Tube Alloys
, he is better qualified than anyone to get on to such
terms with the American scientists in
Tube Alloys
as to ensure that there shall be no further
difficulties or misunderstandings, I have accordingly decided to
take advantage of this special opportunity and have asked
Appleton to leave tomorrow.
