File No. 800.24/62
The Ambassador in France ( Sharp ) to the Secretary of State
[Received June 5, 6.40 a.m.]
4074. War Trade Board [from McFadden]. Attention of War Industries Board:
No. 140. Loucheur and members of the French Ministry of Munitions and Inter-Allied Metal Conference are distinctly irritated and annoyed through our failure to reply to the proposals of the Metal Conference1 and we think the calling of the Tin Conference is a direct result of same. We beg to call your attention to the fact that the seat of the French Ministry of Munitions is Paris and further that the British Ministry of Munitions has a permanent representative in Paris, Sir Charles Ellis, and further that the British Minister of Munitions or his representatives are constantly visiting Paris in connection with these subjects. The French and the British have already expressed their willingness to send a committee to Washington to confer with you on all these questions but we think they will insist on the permanent council dealing with these matters remaining in Paris. Therefore we take the liberty of strongly urging the War Industries Board to send a permanent competent representative to Paris for the purpose of representing you in Paris in these matters.
In the meantime we feel confident that, if you will promptly inform and direct us as to your wishes in connection therewith, we can accomplish anything within reason you desire as we are in close relations with the French Ministry of Munitions and also with Sir Charles Ellis in Paris and we have up to the present been able to exercise considerable influence at all formal and informal conferences. McFadden.