File No. 600.119/316
The Department of State
to the Brazilian Embassy
1
Memorandum
The Department of State presents its compliments to the Brazilian
Embassy and encloses for its information a copy of a letter dated
August 1, 1917, from the Secretary of Commerce with reference to the
issuance of licenses for the shipment of iron and steel plates, pig
iron, iron and steel scrap and steel billets.
Washington,
August 10, 1917.
[Page 920]
[Enclosure]
The Secretary of Commerce (
Redfield) to the Secretary of
State
Washington,
August 1, 1917.
Sir: In accordance with the
President’s instructions, I am to-day instructing the Division
of Export Licenses to act in accordance with the following
policy:
That all shipments to those nations associated with the
United States in the war are, until further
instructions, to be licensed freely, without
reservation, and without restriction, except iron and
steel plates, pig iron, iron and steel scrap, and steel
billets, for which licenses shall be granted only in
case said articles are destined for actual war purposes
or will directly contribute thereto.
In order that there may be no delay in shipments of iron and
steel plates, pig iron, iron and steel scrap, and steel billets,
to those nations associated with us in the war, and when such
articles are destined for actual war purposes or will directly
contribute thereto, may I ask that you secure as promptly as
possible from representatives of those nations a formal
statement accompanying their applications for licenses for these
articles, to the effect that said shipments are destined for
actual war purposes or will directly contribute thereto.
Respectfully,