500.A15A4 General Committee/397: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Chairman of the American Delegation (Davis)
336. Your 649, May 21, 2 p.m. I agree with you that you should resist any movement for postponement of the Disarmament Conference and take advantage of the present impetus to force the issue.
[Page 166]Your 650, May 21, 9 p.m. When you first proposed a meeting in your 123, May 12, 1 a.m. of MacDonald, Mussolini, Hitler and Daladier, we felt that the moment was not ripe and might prejudice the success of the President’s initiative which was already under contemplation. Since then conditions have so changed that the President and I are glad to give you full discretion towards bringing about such a meeting if and when you feel that it would best be justified by probable results. We have been much impressed with your fear that the absence of responsible heads of Governments who will have to make the crucial decisions might lose us the best opportunity yet presented to achieve success.