600.119/1917

Memorandum by the Assistant Secretary of the War Trade Board (Hale)

Following is an extract from a preliminary draft of the Board minutes of December 30, 1918: [Page 781]

“Mr. White referred to cablegram No. 24 dated December 23, 1918, from Mr. Hoover,50 recommending that all restrictions upon the exportation of pork products to Northern European Neutrals be removed, and further that all restrictions now imposed by the Associated Governments upon the exportation of pork and pork products from the Northern Neutral countries to the Central Powers be removed. Mr. White pointed out that pork and pork products had already been placed upon the “free list” of commodities exportable without limit as to quantity to the Northern Neutral countries. The Board proceeded to discuss at length the proposal of Mr. Hoover that pork products be permitted to be exported freely from the Northern European Neutrals to Germany. At the close of the discussion, on motion duly made and seconded, the Board adopted the following action:

Mr. Hoover shall be advised that it is the opinion of the War Trade Board that existing restrictions upon the exportation of foodstuffs from the Northern Neutral countries to Germany should be maintained, and that relief shipments of foodstuffs from the United States to Germany should be made directly to Germany, payment for such shipments to be made in a manner approved by the delegates at the Versailles Conference.”

Shelton Hale
  1. Not printed.