War Cabinet while too big and will doubtless be reduced later by
the elimination of those not pulling weight is quite the best
selection from the material available and in my view distinctly
good. It will, I believe, immediately face up to wide questions of
policy and strategy and I am hopeful now of being able to give you
some information on these points in the near future. The most
immediate question that must be faced and which the War Cabinet
already considering is the position of Italy. The Ambassador at
Rome [1] has been asked for his views urgently. The Prime Minister
[1] has accorded Eden [3] the right to attend the War Cabinet
whenever he desires. In my view, arrangement satisfactory unless
and until War Cabinet with Dominion representatives included is
formed. Short of Imperial War Cabinet, position has in fact to be
met by contacts with individual Ministers, particularly the Prime
Minister and other Ministers having the greatest amount of weight
in the War Cabinet, from whom information can be obtained and
through whom views can be conveyed.

BRUCE