Evening star., 1948-02-16
The Memoirs Of CordeH Hull
Compromise Settled Begged Down Negotiations
On Transfer Of Destroyers for British Bases

position that the President could
not give away destroyers but had
to get something in return.
Since the British had not stated
precisely what bases they intended
to lease to us, why not divide them
into two parcels? The first would
comprise the bases In Newfound-
land and Bermuda. These Britain
could lease us as an outright gift.
The second would comprise the
bases around the Caribbean, stra-
logically more valuable to us be.
cause of their nearness to the Pam
anna Canal. These could be leased
to us in consideration of the cession
Of the so destroyers.
I saw at once that here was the
formula for which we had been
looking. We thereupon set to work
to red1aft the proposals. That aft
ernoon Hackworth and Townsend
saw the President, who agreed to
the compromise.
Pledge Given on Fleet.
AS finished, our draft began with
an assurance from the British GOV.
ernment that, if the waters sur
rounding the British Isles became
untenable for British warships,
"the British feet would in no event
be surrendered or sunk, but would
be sent to other ports of the em-
pire for continued defense Of the
empire
Churchill had already given such
assurance in his speech to Parlia-
ment on June 4, but 7 wanted O
formal repetition because of our
transfer of the destroyers to Britain.
Lord Lothian sent me on August
27 a long cable from Churchill to
the President. Churchill, signing
himself former naval person. ap-
proved the proposal previously sub
mitted by Lothian, which regarding
the leases to all the British bases
as outright gifts, had not been &C
ceptable to us.
Churchill also was ready to give
assurances that the British fleet
would not be scuttled or surrended.
This would be in the form Of a
separate exchange Of letters be-
tween Lothian and me.
With his usual indomitable spirit,
he said he did not wish this latter
exchange to be published because
II think it Is much more likely that
the German government will be the
one to surrender or scuttle its fleet
or what is left of it. In this as you
are aware they have already had
some practice. You will remember
that T said some months ago in
one of my private cables to you that
any such action on our part would
be a dastardly act, and that Is the
opinion Of every one of U.S."
Churchill Throws in Antigua.
Lothian having cabled to London
the location of the bases the Presi-
dent had in mind, Churchill agreed
and gratuitously added the island
of Antigua, in the Caribbean, which
he said might be useful as base for
flying boats.
That steaming night Of August 27
Lothian, Secretary Knox and Ad-
miral Stark all appeared at my
apartment at about 1890 o'clock
and found me in dressing gown.
For more than an hour we four went
over the draft. Lothian at first had
few suggestions for revision, but
eventually seemed quite satisfied and
said he would send the note to his
government.
The night of August 20 at 7 o'clock
Lord Lothian called at my apartment
and left with me his governments
counterproposal We made few
changes in the text, and I then tele-
phoned Lothian, who came back to
my apartment at 10:30. He agreed
to our changes.
The following day. August 80, ]
telephoned the changes to the Pres
ident at Hyde Park and received his
approval.
Lord Lothian, who had spent the
week end IN Boston, returned 10
Washington Monday afternoon, Sep
tember 2, and came to my apart
ment at 7 o'clock that evening.
There we signed and exchanged the
notes confirming the destroyers-
bases transaction.
Thus were concluded within q
week negotiations among the most
momentous in our history.
copyright, 194S, by NANA)