781.00/5–1850: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Embassy in Greece
901. Immed fol tel contains message,1 approved by Grady,2 from McGhee to be delivered Venizelos in reply his ltr Apr 26 (Deptel 837 May 8)3 unless you perceive some objection. Dept has no objection to publication message by Venizelos if he desires.
Reply drafted in light urtel 1065 May 104 and several other messages re unsatisfactory relations with Venizelos, and attempts strike balance between giving Venizelos excessive and unwarranted encouragement on one hand and, on other, alienating him to extent that Liberal Party support might be withdrawn from Govt with disastrous consequences.
As result Venizelos’s capriciousness and manifest incompetence and his feud with Papandreou, we are coming to question whether it desirable press him accept important post of FonMin where he wld be hopelessly weak rep of Greece and probably cause daily difficulties. [Page 376] It might well be preferable, if at all feasible, that this post be taken by another Liberal of greater stability and talent with Venizelos occupying merely titular position of Deputy PriMin. In fact best solution wld seem removal of Venizelos as Liberal Leader by his own Party. If you agree and if you see any possibility work towards this objective without undue danger to present Govt, presume you will do so.