LONDON, 28 September 1938, 11.50 a.m.

MOST SECRET

PRESENT

Malcolm MacDonald, acting for Secretary of State for Dominion
Affairs
S. M. Bruce, High Commissioner for Australia
C. T. te Water, High Commissioner for South Africa
Vincent Massey, High Commissioner for Canada
W. J. Jordan, High Commissioner for New Zealand
J. W. Dulanty, High Commissioner for Eire
Sir Edward Harding, Permanent Under-Secretary of State for
Dominion Affairs
Sir Harry Batterbee, Assistant Under-Secretary of State, Dominions
Office
E. G. Machtig, Assistant Under-Secretary of State, Dominions
Office
N. E. Archer, Dominions Office

MR BRUCE read to the meeting a cable which he had received from
his Prime Minister after a telephone conversation which Mr Lyons
had had with Mr Chamberlain. [1] This cable suggested that the
Prime Minister should make a personal appeal to Signor Mussolini
to use his influence with Herr Hitler, in the interests of peace;

and indicated that Mr Bruce would be available to fly to Rome with
a message if desired. [2] Mr Bruce had visited No. 10 Downing
Street earlier in the morning and had there learnt that Mr
Chamberlain had already sent a message to Signor Mussolini.

MR MACDONALD read to the meeting the two messages sent by the
Prime Minister early in the morning of the 28th September to Herr
Hitler and Signor Mussolini. [3]

Warm appreciation of these two messages was expressed by the
Dominion representatives.

MR BRUCE referred to Mr Roosevelt's [4] message to Herr Hitler
which had, he understood, been sent just before the meeting.

MR MACDONALD read to the meeting a Press version of Mr Roosevelt's
message.

MR MASSEY said that he did not feel that the reference to the
United States' detached attitude, in the latter part of the
message, was necessarily harmful.

MR TE WATER thought that any tendency to place the blame on Herr
Hitler in such messages was psychologically wrong.

MR MACDONALD then informed the meeting as. to Dr Krofta's [5]
favourable reaction to the Prime Minister's latest proposals to
Germany, Dr Benes' [6] more guarded attitude to the message
conveyed to him, and the preliminary view expressed by the German
State Secretary [7] to H.M. Ambassador at Berlins [8] (Berlin
telegram No.546) [9] that the latest plan came too late. He also
informed the High Commissioners regarding the message sent to the
French Government (No. 342 to Paris) [10] and the French Foreign
Minister's [11] reply (No. 318 from Paris) [12] indicating that
neither Government should take any offensive measures, including a
declaration of war, without previous consultation with and
agreement by the other.

The Dominion representatives expressed satisfaction with this
arrangement and MR MASSEY remarked that this placed the United
Kingdom Government once more in control.

MR BRUCE inquired whether anything could be done in Parliament to
prevent bellicose statements likely to aggravate the present
difficulties, and expressed the hope that whatever action could be
taken to this end would be taken.

MR MASSEY thought that whilst it might be undesirable to apply a
closure by the use of the Government's majority, it should be
possible to secure the same result by means of an appeal to
Members not to prejudice current negotiations.