760C.62/784: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Poland (Biddle)
33. Your 163, August 10, midnight. I have communicated the contents of your telegram to the President. The President expresses the belief that, in the interest of public opinion in the United States, as well as public opinion in other parts of the world, it is in the highest degree important that history should not record, in the event that any military crisis results from the Danzig issue, that the first act of aggression of a military character was brought about by Poland. To use the Biblical phrase, a situation should not arise as a result of which it could truthfully be said that Poland “threw the first stone”.
Please communicate the above in the strictest confidence to Colonel Beck at the first opportunity.
Please repeat to London and Paris.