740.0011 European War 1939/2375: Telegram
The Chargé in Germany (Kirk) to the Secretary of State
[Received 7:48 p.m.]
1071. For the Secretary and Under Secretary. Your 976, April 18, 5 p.m. I value your consideration of my suggestoins and your [Page 161] wish that I join in your deliberations of a possible course of action along the lines which I have outlined. I would fail in frankness however if I did not stress the possibility that the time element involved—a few days it is said or perhaps a fortnight—militates against even a meager delay in any factual and convincing demonstration of American policy which the Department may envisage.
In view of the prevailing impression which is being continually reinforced that some further development is imminent I have not felt justified in planning to proceed to Washington before the middle of May and accordingly I have engaged passage on the Conte di Savoia sailing from Genoa on May 15.
The uncertainty of the present situation gives no assurance that even an earlier departure would enable me to reach the Department before a discussion of the suggestion which I have made would no longer be timely.
I can therefore only repeat and in all sincerity the observations and recommendations contained in my previous message and urge again that in view of the imminent threat of further deliberate acts of violation of the integrity of neutral nations the American Government manifest its intent to proclaim through an unmistakable gesture its condemnation of such acts and its unwillingness eventually to condone a procedure which violates every principle of our democracy.