Cablegram 56 WASHINGTON, 13 January 1943, 10 p.m.
Your 41 and 42 [1] and Prime Minister’s Department No.5. [2] I informed Halifax fully of your views and discussed the matter with him. I think that in a great measure he is personally in sympathy with your approach particularly with the view that the declaration should be more definite, that it should not be defensive but independent of present attacks on colonial system and that it should be presented as part of a wider application of principle.
But he is less favourable to anything like re-establishing and giving a wider operation to the mandatory system and he appears to fear the consequences of vesting in any International Commission positive authority enabling it to control, as distinguished from such functions as advising, examining problems and general planning.
He says that so far he has not placed before Hull any view as that of the United Kingdom. He has merely put forward in personal discussion the idea of some sort of declaration and obtained Hull’s general approval of the idea. In the meantime the comments of other Dominions on the draft sent by Dominions Office [3] are awaited and Halifax is sending some comments of his own upon it.
He says that he will inform me of developments.
I think the time has not come for me to see Hull. I would be grateful if you would keep me advised of any further information coming through High Commissioner from Dominions Office or otherwise. I shall telegraph any developments here.
DIXON
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1 See Document 94, note 1.
2 See Document 97, note 1.
3 See Document 96.
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[AA:A3300, 262]