I immediately transmitted to the President the personal and
confidential message from Mr. Menzies which was left at the
Department by Mr. Keith Officer on May 26, 1940. [1] The President
has asked me to send to you for transmission to Mr. Menzies his
personal and confidential reply to that message. The President's
reply is quoted below.

'I was glad to receive on May 26th your personal message, which I
have read with interest and considered with care.

'I fully realize that the Allies are facing a critical situation
in Europe, and I of course understand and appreciate the motives
which prompted you to send me this message. I do not think that
there are many people in the United States, and certainly none in
the Executive Branch of our Government, who fail to appreciate the
implications and dangers to the whole world of the triumph of
those forces against which your country is struggling, and I want
you to know that, subject to the necessary limitations of the
position of this country, the production facilities of the United
States are available in their entirety to the Allies.

'With regard to your specific suggestion concerning the need of
planes by the Allied Governments, I may say that a large number of
planes have been ordered in this country by those Governments, and
sizable quantities have already been delivered. We do not expect
that the armaments program of the United States will interfere in
any way with the speedy delivery of planes for the Allied
Governments. When I sent a message to Congress on May 16th dealing
with the necessity for increasing the armaments of the United
States, you may have noted that I made the following statement:

' "For the permanent record, I ask the Congress not to take any
action which would in any way hamper or delay the delivery of
American-made planes to foreign nations which have ordered them,
or seek to purchase more planes. That, from the point of view of
our own national defense, would be extremely shortsighted."

'I deeply appreciate and cordially reciprocate your friendly
references to me and to the United States.'

SUMNER WELLES