Suggested Message from the President to Prime Minister Churchill
 
      
 
 
George Kennan, our Charge d'Affaires at Lisbon is returning 
      to his post after brief consultation with us here. He expects 
      to take up with Salazar immediately upon his return the urgent 
      question of obtaining what we consider minimum necessary facilities 
      in the Azores for the operation of the air transport, ferrying, 
      antisubmarine and convoy operations by United States forces in 
      that area.
 
      
 
 
I hope that he can defend on the full support of the British 
      Ambassador to Lisbon in impressing upon the Portuguese the compelling 
      importance to our common war effort of the early use of these 
      facilities by United States forces and would appreciate your 
      sending him instructions in that sense.
 
      
 
 
Roosevelt (signed)