033.4711 Casey, Richard G./4: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Bingham)
232. Your 348, June 4, 4 p.m. and 357, June 8, 1 p.m.13 The British Ambassador14 has formally requested an interview with the President for Casey on June 30, July 1st or 2nd. He is being informed that in view of the President’s absence from Washington attending his son’s wedding and on other important business it is unfortunately impossible for him to see Casey at that time. I have informed Lindsay that I shall be glad to see Casey on the morning of July 1st and that Mr. Morgenthau15 will see him that afternoon. Other appointments will be arranged in due course.
Will you please see Lyons again and say that the President and I are sorry that he found it necessary to alter his plans to visit the United States and thus afford us opportunity for a general exchange of views. At the same time please say that we hope he had not understood our intimation of willingness to see him or Casey as meaning that we were prepared to discuss a trade agreement at this time. We assume that he realizes that the opening of discussions leading to [Page 143] possible negotiation of a United States–Australian trade agreement depends rather conclusively Upon the removal by the Government of Australia of the discriminations against commerce of the United States. We assume that he also realizes that if a satisfactory basis for a United States–United Kingdom trade agreement16 is not found it would be practically impossible to find a basis for a United States–Australian trade agreement.
Our reason for desiring that you say this to Lyons is that the Department gained the distinct impression from your 348 that he was of the opinion that we were prepared to discuss a trade agreement when he or Casey came to Washington. We feel that that impression should be corrected.