Cablegram 406 WASHINGTON, 4 June 1941, 12.22 a.m.
My telegram No. 384 [1] and Prime Minister’s telegram No. 55. [2]
British Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs [3] has telegraphed the British Ambassador at Washington [4] to the effect that they regard it important that a public statement should be made and no mere private undertaking.
Minister of British Embassy [5] called on Sumner Welles [6] and Secretary of State [7] today in the above connection. Neither has any objection to a public statement provided language not provocative although they admit Japanese extremists will do their best to make any such statement appear provocative.
I still hold strongly to the advisability of a private undertaking and not a public statement.
I have reason to believe that, although the Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs [8] would prefer a public statement; he would be satisfied with a confidential assurance provided it was made clear confidentially in Tokyo that such an assurance had been given. He realizes the possibility of repercussions in Japan of a public statement with which the United States was not joined. He also realizes that it is most unlikely in the circumstances that the United States would join in any such public statement.
CASEY
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1 Document 473.
2 R. G. Menzies repeated the cablegram printed as Document 476 to Casey on 2 June as no. 55. See file AA: A1608, N41/1/1.
3 Anthony Eden.
4 Lord Halifax.
5 N. M. Butler.
6 U.S. Under-Secretary of State.
7 Cordell Hull.
8 Dr E. N. van Kleffers.
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[AA: A1608, A41/1/5, iii]