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The British Government have consulted
the British Minister in Iceland.     Both the
authorities in London and Mr. Howard Smith see
grave dangers in the adoption of the proposal that
the Icelandic Prime Minister should he requested
to invite the United States Government to occupy
Iceland.     Both London and Mr. Howard Smith feel
that a fait accompli would he greatly preferable
to any prior announcement of the arrival of the
United States troops.     Mr. Howard Smith too is
very doubtful whether the Icelandic Government would
in fact he prepared to ask the United States Govern-
ment to send 1roops to replace the British garrison,
since the Icelanders resent occupation of any kind.
Mr. Howard Smith feels there is a serious danger
of leakage if tfr3 matter is mentioned beforehand
to the Icelanders since the press and telegrams are
not censored there and it is very difficult to
keep anything secret.     Sufficiently strong restrictive
steps to prevent a leakage might create an extremely
had impression on the Icelanders and prejudice them
against the arrival of the American forces.
The British authorities feel that the dif-
ficulties as they see them should he brought to the
notice of the United States Government.     If however
the latter still prefer that their suggested pro-
cedure should be adopted the British Government
would of course be prepared to follow this line.
But it would seem best to the British authorities
that if the idea is to send at once a small American
force that force should arrive unheralded and un-
explained as was done with great success when
Briti sh/
c
British troops occupied the island.
In this connection the British
authorities would "be glad to know the answer to the
two following questions:
A, Is it correct that United States forces will move
in two or more stages from Bermuda and Newfoundland -
first move starting June 22nd? ff^^ciU^?!!^
B. Do the United States Government agree that during
interim period while "both United States and British troops
will "be there - the British troops leaving "by stages -
the total garrison should not "be less than present British
garrison?
As regards the suggested statement the
British authorities are glad to learn that the President
is agreeable to making some such announcement. They
are quite prepared that the words "in concert with" in
the last sentence of Paragraph 2 should "be omitted, and
think it would he "better to leave out the first two
sentences of the statement on account of Portuguese sus-
ceptibilities.     The British authorities would now prefer
not to make any statement themselves unless the President
so desires   and will "be glad to know the President's view
on this point.     It will "be useful to know as far as
possible in advance when the United States Government will
issue their statement.     The most obvious occasion would
seem to be on the arrival of the first American contingent.
It will also be necessary for the British
to the Icelandic Government on
lrlA \ Minister to say something
A \
that occasion.     The views of the President as to what Mr.
1
Howard Smith might usefully say would be appreciated.
BRITISH EMBASSY,
WASHINGTON, D.C.
June 22nd, 19LQ.