800.796/613: Telegram
The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant) to the Secretary of State
[Received 8:15 p.m.]
2051. For Assistant Secretary Berle. We are not certain of the wisdom of your coming here as Beaverbrook’s asking you to London may be connected with a British effort to appear to separate Canada from us. I do believe that if you could let Beaverbrook know that you would have a private talk with him on those subjects which are primarily problems between the British and ourselves it would create much good will here and I should think be a helpful procedure. This could be done by pre-arrangement wherever the conference is held. In my 1943, March 9 I stated to you my own conviction that communication aids and air transport are inseparable problems. It may seem strange to you that the British have suggested, to precede the general conference, a separate informal meeting in Washington to discuss radio aids to aviation on a technical level. (Reference Embassy’s 2025, March 13, 7 p.m.) I think this is due to the fact that the men in charge on the technical levels are completely non-political, and also because they are career Air Ministry or Ministry of Aircraft Production officials. There is very good cooperation between Sinclair61 and Cripps,62 while Beaverbrook is in a different camp. The latter is aware that there is little public interest in this matter, and has given no indication of opposing it.
I would like to stress the confidential nature of our 2025 of March 13.