File No. 800.24/76b
The Secretary of State to the Chargé in Great Britain ( Laughlin)
32. For Sheldon [from Woolley, War Trade Board]:
No. 771. Embassy’s No. 10836, June 24, 6 p.m., your No. 876. In order to correct the mistaken impression reported by you that many departments of British and French Governments believe that the War Industries Board is not cooperating about establishing executive committees in London or Paris for control and distribution of raw materials, and is responsible for delay which is affecting disadvantageous British supplies and supplies being secured by America, [Page 596] Baruch requests that you re-examine your previous instructions sent at his request about his negotiations here with the representatives of Great Britain and France for establishing executives on various raw materials, including tin; from which you will see that on April [May] 25 you were informed that War Industries Board submitted to British Embassy at Washington, April 8, a proposal for the establishment of an executive in London to control procurement and distribution of tin;1 also by Department’s cable to Embassy, April 19,2 that Baruch believed it exceedingly important that negotiations for establishing these executives be carried on through Allied representatives here instead of through committees in Paris or London; but that when arrangements were agreed upon it was intended to intrust their execution to executive committees sitting in London or Paris; also by our cable May 243 to the same effect. Baruch further states that these negotiations actually began in January and simultaneously with them similar negotiations were being carried on with the representatives here of the French Government, and as a result of these negotiations the following proposals which he sends for your information were formulated, and on June 20 were cabled by the British Embassy here to the British Government.4
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You will see from this record that Baruch has been urging both the British and French Governments for five or six months to agree upon arrangements establishing executive committees in London or Paris for the control and distribution of various raw materials including tin, proposals for which have been formulated and submitted after full discussion with their representatives here. Inasmuch as he is still awaiting definite replies from these Governments on the proposals submitted, the responsibility for the delay regarding these negotiations rests upon them and not upon him, and he would be much obliged to you if you would bring these facts to the attention of those government officials referred to in your cable who seem disposed to hold the War Industries Board responsible for this delay. Woolley.