Cablegram unnumbered 16 March 1938,
SECRET
I am very grateful for your telegram of 11th March [1] conveying to me the text of your speech on defence and your supplementary remarks thereon which are indeed very helpful. The Press generally are cooperating in an endeavour to put the matter clearly before the public but they ask for assistance in clarifying some statements contained your telegram which lack definiteness. For instance, it would help if you could oblige by amplifying the phrase begins ‘the idea that in the event of war we may not depend on the defences of our overseas possessions is entirely false’.
Your advice on this would be much appreciated.
I will await with interest the full account of your future programme of defence expenditure which you are sending to me.
Regards.
LYONS
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1 Document 134
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[AA : A1068, 051/1/1]