868.248/95

Memorandum of Conversation, by the Chief of the Division of Near Eastern Affairs (Murray)

Secretary Morgenthau asked me to come urgently to his office this afternoon at 4:00. Upon my arrival I found the Greek Minister [Page 684] waiting in the anteroom and in Mr. Morgenthau’s inner office were Mr. Purvis,73 Mr. Wilson and other members of the British Purchasing Commission. Mr. Philip Young was also present. Mr. Morgenthau informed me that he had requested me to come in order that I might report directly to the Secretary the course of events, which follows.

Mr. Morgenthau inquired of the Greek Minister whether he had understood him correctly this morning to say that his Government absolutely refused to accept the most recent offer of thirty planes from this Government. The Greek Minister replied that, while he had referred to his Government’s refusal, the refusal was in fact on the part of the Greek aviation experts who have just arrived in New York City. Mr. Morgenthau seemed much upset and annoyed at this discrepancy between the Minister’s statement to him of this morning and that of this afternoon and asked me whether I could explain to the Minister in French what Mr. Morgenthau was about to say. I replied that I was sure the Minister would understand the statement in English.

Mr. Morgenthau then informed the Greek Minister that on the authority of the President he was repeating our offer of the thirty naval planes to Greece and that the offer would stand for two or three days, during which the Greek Minister could obtain word from his Government as to whether the planes were acceptable. The Greek Minister interrupted at this point to inquire whether Mr. Morgenthau was referring to the “old” planes, and Mr. Morgenthau said he was. Mr. Morgenthau then stated that if at the end of that time the Greek Government definitely refused the planes they would be turned over to the British Government. The Greek Minister stated that he would convey to me the answer of his Government in this matter, and Mr. Morgenthau understood that I would then communicate with him.

After the Greek Minister’s departure Mr. Morgenthau stated to those of us remaining that this matter had been taken up at the Cabinet meeting today and that the President had stated bluntly that this offer of thirty naval planes to the Greeks was a “take it or leave it” proposition and that if the Greeks did not want the planes they should be turned over to the British. I inquired of Mr. Morgenthau whether there was any question of P–40’s at the Cabinet meeting today, and he replied, “Absolutely not”. Mr. Morgenthau then requested me to be good enough to convey to Mr. Hull an exact account of the proceedings which took place in his office this afternoon.

Wallace Murray
  1. Arthur Purvis, Chairman of the British Supply Council in North America.