AUGUST 6, 1941 MY DEAR MR. PRESIDENT, AMBASSADOR WINANT STATES THAT HE WAS INFORMED BY ANTHONY EDEN THIS AFTERNOON THAT THERE HAS BEEN SOME LEAKAGE OR ELSE SOME VERY CLEVER GUESS WORK CONCERNING THE PRIME MINISTER'S MOVEMENTS. AT 2015 YESTERDAY, THE GERMAN RADIO, QUOTING A REPORT FROM LISBON, GAVE THE FIRST BREAK. LONDON REPORTERS, PUTTING TWO AND TWO TOGETHER, HAVE ARRIVED AT THE SAME CONCLUSION. BEFORE WINSTON CHURCHILL LEFT, HE PREPARED A STATEMENT WHICH 1S TO BE MADE PUBLIC ONLY IN CASE OF A LEAK. EDEN IS OF THE OPINION THAT S0ME SORT OF STATEMENT MAY HAVE TO BE GIVEN OUT TOMORROW BUT HE DOES NOT WANT TO SAY ANYTHING WITHOUT OUR PRIOR APPROVAL. THE GOVERNMENT HOPES TO AVOID THE NECESSITY OF MAKING A STATEMENT BUT, IF IT MUST BE D0NE, EDEN THINKS IT BEST TO MAKE IT TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS TOMORROW. THE ABSENCE OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND ATLEE WILL CERTAINLY BE NOTICED IN THE HOUSE TOMORROW AND WILL GIVE RISE TO QUESTIONS - THIS WOULD FURNISH THE OCCASION FOR MAKING THE STATMENT. CHURCHI LL'S OWN DRAFT OF STATEMENT 1S AS FOLLOWS: "THE PRIME MINISTER ACCEPTED AN INVITATION TO MEET PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT FOR A DISCUSSION OF THE GENERAL COURSE OF THE WAR, THE METHODS OF US AID TO BRITIAN AND MATTERS OF COMMON INTEREST. THE PRIME MINISTER 1S ACCOMPANIED BY THE FIRST SEA |