I attach a fair copy of the account of our talk.
I told Bruce [1] at a lunch at the Chinese Embassy on Thursday
that our Prime Minister [2] feels that America must be in on any
decision in order to make it effective. He therefore prefers the
method of a joint talk in Washington.
I have told Eden [3] of all developments, and it seems likely that
the question will be raised by him with you and our Prime
Minister-perhaps at the Cabinet. There is at any rate a general
desire to get something fixed up.
R. A. BUTLER
1 High Commissioner in London.
2 Winston S. Churchill.
3 U.K. Foreign Secretary.
Enclosure
Memorandum by Mr R. A. Butler, U.K. Parliamentary Under-Secretary
of State for Foreign Affairs
[LONDON], 8 April 1941
The question of our procedure in Far Eastern policy was discussed
to-day between Mr. Menzies, Lord Cranborne [1], Lord Moyne [2] and
myself The points particularly considered were (1) the question of
exchanging mutual guarantees with the Dutch, and (2) the question
of an approach to the United States Government for some joint
declaration.
As regards the first point, it was generally felt that we should
in our own interests have to resist an attack on the Netherlands
East Indies and that the best course would be to recognise this
fact and to propose to the Dutch (who had long been angling for
one) a mutual guarantee of support. The Dutch would not include
Hongkong in any guarantee given by them and might not be willing
to include Burma. They should be pressed in relation to Burma, but
if they would not include it the negotiation should not be allowed
to break down on this point.
It was felt that the military position in the Far East had
considerably changed in recent months and that the Chiefs of Staff
might not see the same objection to a guarantee as they had found
previously.
As regards the United States, the view taken was that the best
procedure would be to approach them after having exchanged the
suggested guarantees with the Dutch. The Americans could not give
a straight guarantee to protect the territory of a foreign Power
but some form of words could no doubt be found to indicate that it
was a vital American interest that the affected territories should
not pass under the control of another Power. The definition of the
areas concerned would have to be worked out at Washington, but
here again it was felt that the inclusion of Hongkong in any
American declaration could not be expected.
[PRO: FO 371/27775]
1 U.K. Dominions Secretary.
2 U.K. Colonial Secretary.
