Cablegram 290 [1] [PHILADELPHIA], 19 April 1944, 6.41 p.m.
Following for Dr. Evatt from Mr. Beasley.
In the light of the difficulty you had in establishing responsibility for Foreign Economic Policy and in view of the fact that the Melville Delegation [2] made it apparent to you that they did not always interpret their instructions as you would wish, and in fact seemed to miss the significance of the employment approach on occasions, I think that I should inform you that Melville and Wheeler are in Ottawa now and proceeding to Washington on Monday.
Wheeler, I understand, intends to return in the middle of May.
I assume that they act under instructions from the Minister for External Affairs, wherever they discuss matters associated with International Economic collaboration. They are coming to see me on their way to Washington, but I think that at this stage, when I am putting the publicity of our employment proposals [3] prior to the United Kingdom approach to the United States of America [4] on them, that it might be dangerous to have even informal discussions in Washington.
Naturally officials at Washington will wish to discuss with them my statement that I will have made here and our proposals as it will be the first time they have heard of them as a formal proposal. I would prefer this not to happen before I have met the Secretary of State and others and have been able to stress the political implications of our proposals and their broader significance.
Even the so called technical discussions must lead to discussion of general principles and unless you see some useful purpose in informal official discussions at this stage, I think they should be avoided.
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1 Sent through the Legation in Washington.
2 See Document 35, note 1.
3 See Document 117, note 3.
4 See Document 85.
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[AA:A3195, 1944, 1.14910]