Many thanks your telegram No. 39. [1] No further developments here
with regard to Russia.

Reference CHURCHILL-I agree importance of improving feeling in
Australia towards him qua Prime Minister. I believe possibility of
achieving this greatly depends upon your visit.

The immediate steps which I understand you to suggest are-
(1) The release for six weeks by the United Kingdom to Australia
of all items urgently required by us included in United Kingdom
allocation from U.S.A. production.

(2) Agreement to the immediate return to Australia of the 9th
Division.

With regard to (1) I am having a full statement prepared as to the
position of releases to Australia by the United Kingdom from their
U.S.A. allocation which I hope to telegraph you tomorrow. Until
this statement is completed it is difficult to judge the
significance or probable effect of the gesture you suggest.

With regard to (2) the attitude of the President is of importance.

in the President's telegram of March 8th to Churchill he makes the
despatch of the two additional U.S.A. Divisions dependent on the
Australian and New Zealand Divisions remaining in the Middle East
to economise shipping. [2]

If the utilisation of shipping to take the Australian Divisions
home precluded the sending of any American Divisions to Australia
(which has been suggested to me but which I am not in a position
to check) thus reducing the forces in Australia and the Middle
East, taken together, by a Division-or if New Zealand Division
also returned by two Divisions President may well have strong
views on matter.

Do you know or can you ascertain what the President's attitude is?
I suggest it is desirable that this point should be cleared up
before I make any move with the Prime Minister down lines of your
telegram.

BRUCE