Berlin, August 31, 1938
 
(Personal and
confidential)
 
Dear Mr. President:
 
 I mentioned a matter to Bill Bullitt when I
saw him in Paris last week end, concerning which
he suggested that I write you at once, even though
our War Department is already aware of the situation
through reports from the Military Attache here.
 
 It appears that mobilization, in the old sense
of the word, will no longer be in Germany a prelude
to offensive action. The Army is now in a continually
mobilized condition and troops can be sent on a
march directly from their barracks for a given
destination, junction taking place en route, so
that there would be no pause for mobilization.
 
 This means that if action is taken, in all
probability we will have news of it only in
reports of military movement some six or eight