My telegram No. 107 to Canberra, 31 to London. [2]

I saw the Secretary of State [3] today to make sure that he was
under no illusions as to the seriousness of the situation. He is
fully aware of it. Now for the first time supplies of aircraft,
small arms, ammunition and other urgently needed munitions are
moving from this country in appreciable quantities.

The Secretary of State told me that old story about how essential
it was that the Administration did not move ahead of public
opinion which was moving fast. I said that although very advanced
views were being expressed in the press by leader writers and
columnists I believed that the American people accepted such views
with reserve and that until the President [4] made a forthright
statement how directly both short and long range American
interests were affected I did not believe that the American public
would really respond. He replied that much harm could be done by
any premature presidential statement.

Remainder of the conversation was on lines of my last talk with
Welles reported in my telegram No. 106 to Canberra, No. 29 to
London. [5]

CASEY