868.00/4–1447: Telegram
The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Douglas) to the Secretary of State
urgent
2198. Personal for Acheson. ReDeptel 1624, April 121 and Kosmos 32 top secret. Explained to Hector McNeil provision of the amendment to the Greece–Turkey bill reported by the Senate Committee and of your statement to the House Committee to the effect that we had no intention of using any part of the funds to pay costs of British troops or Missions in either Greece or Turkey. Likewise informed him of the possibility that the House Committee would place much tighter restrictions on the use of the funds than those embodied in the amendment reported by the Senate Committee. He understands that the proposal outlined in Bevin’s letter to the Secretary would cause great criticism in Congress and in the United States. He will use his influence to persuade the Treasury to withdraw its suggestion and will attempt, he hopes with success, to make arrangements under which the Greek Government will pay all drachma costs of British Mission with the British Government assuming all sterling costs. If this meets with your approval, please advise me promptly so that I can inform him to proceed along these lines with the Treasury.2
[Here follows a paragraph about American intentions concerning collaboration with the British Economic Mission in Greece.]
Repeated to Moscow for Secretary Marshall as 175.
- Not printed; it quoted telegram 1318, Kosmos 32, April 11, from Moscow and telegram 904, Moskco 57, April 12, to Moscow, pp. 141, 143 (868.20/4–1147).↩
- In telegram 1651, April 15, to London, the Department advised Ambassador Douglas to inform Mr. McNeil that these arrangements appeared reasonable and that the Department hoped they would be approved by the Treasury (868.00/4–1447).↩