500.A15A5/215: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Chairman of the American Delegation (Davis)
9. Your 9, October 25, 4 p.m. is distinctly encouraging. As a clear cut understanding between the British and ourselves in opposition to the Japanese demands seems to offer the only visible chance of effecting their modification, we agree with you that a well-staged, full dress meeting between the two delegations should prove of real value. We assume, however, that when you specify in the last sentence your purpose of “continuing the discussions of last summer” you refer to questions of general principle dealt with in the earlier meetings, notably on June 18 and June 21,54 and will not allow the discussions [Page 316] (at this stage at least) to become deflected to technical problems, where existing differences of opinion might be emphasized anew. This could only confuse the picture and encourage the Japanese in their present demands.