6.
Copy.
(A 7972/6721/45)
MINISTRY OF HEALTH,
WHITEHALL, S.W.I.
10th November, 1939.
My dear Edward* 9* S 9H
Many thanks for your letter of 31st October*   I quite
appreciate your desire to send a favourable reply to the
gratifying offer of Winthrop Aldrich and other Americans to
raise funds to establish and maintain American hospitals here
and In France.
I am not very clear whether the intention Is to send over
the necessary medical and nursing staff and to provide all
equipment, or merely to defray the cost of staff and equipment
to he provided, so far as the treatment of civilians if concerned,
by my Department.   There is the further difficulty that we are
already utilising pretty well all the suitable buildings in
this country and have in fact made arrangements which will
satisfy all our requirements, so far as we can foresee them at
present.
Subject to what Hore-Belisha has told you, it seems to me
that much the better plan would be for the Americans to get their
units together, equip and train them and keep them on hand in
America ready to embark for this country or for France, wherever
it may seem that they could be best utilised according to the
course this curious war takes.
As you know, the absence of air raids has led to some
criticism of our arrangements for the treatment of air raid
casualties in this country, and I think you will agree that It
would/
The Rt. Hon. The Viscount Halifax,
K.G., G.C.S.I., G.C.I.E., T.D.,
Foreign Office,
Downing Street,
s.w.i.
7
would be unwise to "bring the Americans over here (if that is
the suggestion) and have them kicking their heels waiting
for casualties to turn up.
Yours ever,