I trust that this additional explanation of our ultimate intentions will help to meet to some extent the points which you make in your letter but I am, of course, very ready to give you the necessary assurances in regard to all the matters which you raise. We shall in particular bear in mind the points enumerated in the fourth paragraph of your letter and our intention is to keep the United States Government fully informed of the course of the discussions at the forthcoming meeting and of the work done by the proposed bureau. You can also assure your Government that we will consult them before any concrete plans are decided on. I have altered paragraph 5 of the resolution to meet the point raised in the fifth paragraph of your letter and I enclose an amended draft for the information of the United States Government. I should be grateful if you would let me know as soon as possible whether they have any further comments on this point. Finally, I should say that His Majesty's Government are most grateful to the United States Government for authorizing a statement to be made on their behalf at the meeting. The interest shown by the United States Government in these plans will certainly be a source of great satisfaction to allied representatives as it is to His Majesty's Government." Following is text of amended draft resolution communicated to me with Mr. Eden's letter. "The Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Governments of Belgium, Czechoslovakia, Greece, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, the U.S.S.R. and Yugoslavia and the representatives of General de Gaulle, leader of Free Frenchmen agree: (1) That it is their common aim to see that supplies of food and raw material should be made available for the post-war needs of their territories. (2) That while each of the Allied Governments and authorities will be primarily responsible for making provision for the economic needs of its own territories, their respective plans should be coordinated in a spirit of collaboration for the successful achievement of the common aim. (3) That they welcome the preparatory measures which have already been undertaken for this purpose and express their readiness to collaborate to the fullest extent of their power in pursuing the action required. (4) That, accordingly, each of the Allied Governments and authorities should prepare estimates of the kinds and amounts of foodstuffs and raw materials required for the re-provisioning of its territories and the order of priority in which it would desire supplies to be delivered as soon as circumstances permit. (5) That the re-provisioning of Europe will require the most efficient employment after the war of the shipping resources controlled by each government and of allied resources as a whole, as well as of those belonging to other European countries and that plans to this end should be worked out as soon as possible between the Allied Governments and authorities, in consultation as and when appropriate with other governments concerned. (6) That a bureau shall be established by the Government of the United Kingdom under the direction of Sir Frederick Leith-Ross which they could consult in framing estimates of their requirements and which would collate and coordinate these estimates." WINANT 840.48/5046: Telegram The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the WASHINGTON, August 20, 1941-11 a. m. 3240. Your 3615, August 13, 9 p. m. and 3637, August 14, 6 p. m.24 Please inform Mr. Eden that we have taken note of the revised language of paragraph number 5 relating to shipping, that it seems. adequately to cover the point made in our earlier comment, and that we have no further comment to make. HULL 840.48/5115: Telegram The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant) to the Secretary of State London, September 23, 1941-2 p. m. [Received September 23-10:06 a. m.] 4471. Embassy's 4458, September 22, 7 p. m.25 The Foreign Office informs me that the Allied meeting tomorrow morning will open in private for organization purposes and then be opened to the public with journalists present. There has been no substantive change in the draft resolution quoted in my No. 3615, August 23 [13], 9 p. m., except in paragraph 6 which now provides that the bureau to be established by the British Government will report to an Inter-Allied committee under the chairmanship of Leith-Ross. The draft resolution will be proposed in a speech by Mr. Eden during the course of which he will make the statement authorized on behalf of the United States. Mr. Maisky 26 will deliver a statement of the policy of the Russian Government. There will be a resolution by the Allied Governments to adhere to the Atlantic Charter.27 The Polish and Czech representatives will separately state their views of the application of the Charter to their countries but according to the Foreign 24 Latter not printed. 25 Not printed. 26 Ivan Maisky, Soviet Ambassador in the United Kingdom. 27 Vol. I, p. 367. Office these are not in the nature of reservations. The Polish and Czech representatives will also make a joint statement of solidarity. Minutes of the meeting will be supplied to the Embassy. WINANT [A report of the Inter-Allied Meeting of September 24, 1941, is printed as British Cmd. 6315, Miscellaneous No. 3 (1941): InterAllied Meeting Held in London at St. James's Palace on September 24, 1941, Report of Proceedings.] 840.48/5144: Telegram The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant) to the Secretary of State LONDON, October 3, 1941-6 p. m. [Received October 3-2: 15 p. m.] 4700. My 4522, September 25,28 and previous regarding meetings of Inter-Allied Council now taking place in London, with particular reference to Mr. Eden's statement 29 in telegram above cited regarding Committee of Allied Representatives under chairmanship of Sir Frederick Leith-Ross. I have received the following letter dated September 27 from Sir Frederick Leith-Ross. "You will no doubt have seen that the Allied Governments at their meeting on the 24th instant agreed inter alia to set up an Inter-Allied Committee under my chairmanship which would consider proposals relating to the estimates of postwar requirements presented by the respective governments and collated by the bureau established for that purpose. In the message which you authorized Mr. Eden to announce to the Allied Meeting, the United States Government requested that 'it should be kept fully advised regarding the course of these exploratory discussions and consulted as regards any plans which might emanate therefrom'. This statement was warmly welcomed by the Allied representative[s] and Mr. Eden informed them that he had given you an assurance that the United States Government 'will be kept fully informed of the discussions at and arising out of this meeting and of the work accomplished by the bureau and the Inter-Allied Committee and that they will be consulted before any concrete plans are decided upon'. In pursuance of this assurance, I should be glad to know whether you would see your way to nominate a representative to attend the meetings of the Inter-Allied Committee as an observer on behalf of 28 " Not printed; it contained a brief report of the Inter-Allied Meeting of September 24 (840.48/51352). 29 For text of Mr. Eden's statement, see British Cmd. 6315, Misc. No. 3 (1941), p. 18. the United States Government. I hope that this may be possible as it would appear to afford the simplest means of insuring that you are kept fully informed as to the discussions which may take place. But if for any reason you cannot fall in with this suggestion, I should be glad to consider any alternative proposal which you may feel able to make in order to provide an appropriate means of consultation. I may add that it is contemplated that a preliminary meeting of the Committee should be held in the near future to consider the form in which estimates of requirements can most conveniently be drawn up and other technical questions relating to the organization of the preparatory work of the bureau. Thereafter it is not anticipated that the Committee should be required to meet until the estimates of requirements have been received and collated which may take a considerable time." If the Department approves of Leith-Ross' suggestion that an American representative attend the meetings of the Committee as an observer I shall designate Second Secretary Alan Steyne unless the Department has other wishes in the matter. WINANT 840.50/2531 The Director General, British Ministry of Economic Warfare (LeithRoss), to the Assistant Secretary of State (Acheson) [LONDON,] 3 October, 1941. [Received October 17.] DEAR MR. ACHESON: I was very glad to get your letter of 22nd July last, dealing with the policy and procedure which might be followed in dealing with the question of export surpluses and postwar European needs. I have submitted it to my Ministers here, who have considered it carefully and authorised me to send you the following reply. They feel that some of the points of principle raised in the earlier paragraphs of your letter need a good deal of further consideration, as they raise issues or have implications extending beyond the field of surpluses and European relief, but they are in full agreement with the practical steps proposed in paragraph 10 of your letter and they welcome the suggestion that these questions should be the subject of further joint study. They believe that the best course would be for me to go over to Washington for a visit in order to explore these questions further, if and when convenient to you. His Majesty's Ambassador at Washington has been requested to approach you on the matter and to ascertain whether you agree, and if so, what date would be convenient to you. From my point of view, it would probably be best that I should not go over for some weeks at any rate, so as to give further time for discussion here of some of the issues involved, and to enable me to bring over fuller data about prospective European requirements.30 Yours sincerely, 840.48/5144: Telegram F. W. LEITH-ROSS The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant) WASHINGTON, October 4, 1941-10 p. m. 4263. Your 4700, October 3, 6 p. m. Department approves American representative attending meetings of the Committee as observer and considers Steyne excellent choice. HULL 840.50/3828: Telegram The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant) WASHINGTON, December 29, 1941—5 p. m. 32 6053. Your 6149, December 19, noon.31 Murray 82 may attend meetings of agricultural subcommittee until Steere 33 returns. Steyne may participate actively as a member of the committee. In so advising Leith-Ross you should indicate this Government's understanding that any plans elaborated by committee are merely advisory until they have been fully considered by the respective governments. HULL DISCUSSIONS REGARDING NEGOTIATION OF A SUPPLEMENTARY 34 The Secretary of State to President Roosevelt 35 WASHINGTON, December 16, 1940. MY DEAR MR. PRESIDENT: The British mission which is now in the United States investigating means of maintaining British exports 30 In November a reply to this letter was drafted, but it was not sent. The visit of Sir Frederick Leith-Ross to Washington was delayed until the summer of 1942. 31 Not printed; it reported the first meeting of the Inter-Allied Committee on Post-War Requirements and asked instructions as to American participation on the agricultural subcommittee. 32 Alton T. Murray, Assistant Agricultural Attaché in the United Kingdom. 33 Loyd V. Steere, Agricultural Attaché in the United Kingdom. 34 For correspondence regarding the Reciprocal Trade Agreement between the United States and the United Kingdom, signed November 17, 1938, see Foreign Relations, 1938, vol. II, pp. 1 ff. For previous preliminary discussions regarding trade agreements with New Zealand and Australia, see ibid., 1937, vol. II, pp. 203 ff., and ibid., 1939, vol. I, pp. 325 ff., respectively. 35 Returned to the Secretary with the notation in margin, "O. K., F. D. R." |