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      opinion and might be understood as implying that the British 
      Government was engaging in some secret negotiations with the 
      United States at the time of the King's visit, he desired to 
      refrain from the visit if the President believed that it was 
      preferable for him not to come.
 
      
 
 
I told the Ambassador that I would, of course, be glad to 
      lay the matter before the President immediately after his return 
      and that I would advise the Ambassador in due course of the President's 
      reaction.
 
      
 
 
The Ambassador asked me how I myself felt about the matter. 
      I said that of course I could only give him a personal and snap 
      judgment. I said that while I did not know Lord Halifax personally 
      I had always understood that he gave the impression of being 
      a very sincere and straightforward man and that since I understood 
      the King would not receive American press correspondents, it 
      would appear to me that if Lord Halifax were with the party and 
      could speak directly with the American press correspondents he 
      could make it clear to them that his coming with the King was 
      merely a matter of custom and that no negotiations of any kind 
      with this Government were being undertaken. I said that of course 
      I had no idea of what the President's own opinion would be and 
      that the matter would, of course, have to be determined by him.