845.00/8–1544
Memorandum by the Secretary of State to President Roosevelt
Drew Pearson recently published in one of his columns a letter which Ambassador Phillips had sent you on India. The Department has expressed its regret over its publication but Sir Ronald Campbell recently asked if a statement could be issued by this Government disassociating us from the views expressed in Mr. Phillips’ letter. He referred especially to the following points:
- 1)
- The damaging reference to the morale of the Indian Army.
- 2)
- The unfair reference on the part that Britain was going to play in the war against Japan.
- 3)
- Churchill’s reference to the fact that the Atlantic Charter did not apply in India.
It is the Department’s feeling that it would be impossible to issue a statement satisfactory to the British inasmuch as we share in general the views expressed in the Ambassador’s letter. Unless you feel that we should comply with the British request, I would appreciate having your permission to tell the British that we consider it preferable to make no public statement on the subject.