740.0011 EW 1939/32201
Memorandum by the Adviser on Political Relations (Murray)1
Memorandum of Conversation
strictly confidential
Subject: United Press story out of Cairo
| Participants: | The British Ambassador |
| Mr. Murray |
I spoke to the British Ambassador this evening about the attached United Press story2 out of Cairo published in the Washington Times-Herald and other papers on November 14 reporting “indications that an international conference of major import will be held in Cairo shortly” and stating that “the famed Mena House Hotel will be closed to the Public in preparation for the arrival of important guests.”
I told the Ambassador that in a communication just received from Mr. Byron Price, the Director of Censorship, Mr. Price stated that on November 10 he had consulted with the appropriate censorship authorities of the British Embassy and requested them to see that every precaution was taken in order that no reports be permitted to pass through British censors anywhere regarding the movements of important personages in these times. Mr. Price was informed that appropriate steps would be immediately taken to this end.
I further informed the Ambassador that we were communicating urgently with Mr. Kirk, our Minister in Cairo, requesting him to take this matter up at once with Mr. Casey, the British Minister of State at Cairo, and protest strongly against this failure of the British censorship authorities there to hold up the above-mentioned story radioed out of Cairo to London and repeated from London to this country. I added that we hoped the Ambassador would take simultaneous action.
[Page 90]The Ambassador stated that he would be glad to send a strong telegram to Cairo at once and repeat it to London. This will be done this evening.