File No. 763.72/9500
The Ambassador in Great Britain ( Page) to the Secretary of State
[Received 3.50 p.m.]
9450. Your 7201, April 9, 1 p.m.
1. The membership of the Allied Maritime Transport Council is as follows:
- France, M. Clémentel, Minister of Commerce and Industry and M. Loucheur, Minister of Munitions;
- Italy, Signor Crespi, Minister of Supplies, and the Honorable Salvatore Orlando, Commissioner for Mercantile Marine Construction;
- Great Britain, Lord Robert Cecil, Minister of Blockade and Under Secretary for Foreign Affairs and Sir Joseph P. Maclay, Shipping Controller; and
- United States, the Honorable Raymond B. Stevens, Vice Chairman United States Shipping Board;
- Secretary to the Council, Mr. J. A. Salter.
As the Council itself will meet about once a month, the current work will be carried out by the permanent organization situated in London in which the national representatives are the following: France, M. Monnet; Italy, Professor Attolico; Great Britain, Mr. J. A. Salter; and United States, Mr. G. Rublee. The work of this latter body will be coordinated and presided over by the secretary to the Council.
2. The purpose of the Council is to supervise the general conduct of Allied transport in order to obtain the most effective use of tonnage for the prosecution of the war while leaving each nation responsible for the management of the tonnage under its own control. With this object the Council will secure the necessary exchange of information and will coordinate the policy and action of the four [Page 510] Governments in adjusting their programs of imports to the carrying capacity of the available Allied tonnage (having regard to naval and military requirements) and in making the most advantageous allocation and disposition of such tonnage in accordance with the urgency of war needs.
A more complete description of the organization and functions of the Council will be forwarded in the pouch leaving today.1
- Not printed.↩