800.6363/1565: Telegram
The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant) to the Secretary of State
[Received March 30—1:58 p.m.]
2564. Your 2420, March 29, was just handed to me. This morning I received the following letter from Richard Law:18
“I am now able to let you know that the official delegation for discussions with the United States on the subject of oil will consist of Sir William Brown, Mr. F. C. Starling from the Petroleum Department, Mr. J. H. Le Rougetel from the Foreign Office, at least one representative from the service departments, and Sir W. Fraser and Sir F. Godber from the Petroleum Board.
The delegation will travel by sea and should arrive in Washington about April 15th.”
It is contrary to all British custom and procedure to publish Cabinet [Page 109] committees. I have been trying to persuade them to make an exception in this case but so far have not succeeded.
There is another difficulty that concerns the British in attempting to deal with this problem on a Ministerial level. In order to send a delegation to the United States that would rank equally with the men appointed by the President on the American Committee it would be necessary that members of the War Cabinet go to the United States. That the meeting be held in Washington has been conceded. I am certain that the British want both Eden and Lord Leathers19 included. The latter is far and away the best informed man in this field. Both these men are seriously involved in the day to day operational preparation for the invasion from the West. I have talked this matter over with the Prime Minister, Eden, Leathers and Law on several occasions. They are not trying to evade the issue. They want to work with us. It is my judgment that after the technical groups have measured the field for discussion we will be able to get definite action from this side even if the men the British want to send are not then available.
I could not press harder than I have to get this job done.