Cablegram 875 LONDON, 3 October 1940, 2.25 p.m.
FOR THE PRIME MINISTER PERSONAL HIMSELF
My first reaction to the appointment of Cranborne as Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs was that my words to the Prime Minister [1] yesterday had fallen on barren ground, that he does not approach the necessary fighting weight and that the appointment shows complete lack of appreciation of the importance and position of the Dominions.
As however the view that Cranborne has ability, guts and only needs opportunity to prove himself has been put strongly to me I am prepared to suspend Judgment.
BRUCE
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1 Winston S. Churchill. See Document 153.
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[AA:A3195, 1940, 1.8719]