File No. 763.72112/7040
The Ambassador in Great Britain ( Page) to the Secretary of State
[Received February 21, 1.33 a.m.]
8745. War Trade Board:
No. 183. Fuller from Frothingham. Together with French and Italian representatives, attended informal conference called by Foreign Trade Department of Foreign Office to discuss coordination of published black lists by respective Governments per proposals made you through British Embassy for concurrent consideration of evidence against any firm proposed for statutory list by British, French, Italian, and American Ministers in each country. Conference reached informal agreement as to desirability and effectiveness of such coordinated local action to be followed by final review of Latin-American evidence in Washington, European evidence in London, [Page 1018] possibly Spanish evidence in Paris, before actual publication of agreed-upon enemy traders. Italian representative favored local consideration of evidence against black-list cases in addition to statutory-list cases. Proposition, although commended in principle, was felt to be secondary to the coordination of official published lists and was set aside for later discussion. I understand unofficially that Foreign Office prefers Spanish cases should be reviewed in London as at present before actual publication, instead of in Paris as proposed by the French. This with idea of centralizing review control in Washington and London if possible. However, probably will not insist if French press the matter.
Personally believe London feels reluctant to cede Spanish affairs to Paris account lack of full confidence in evidence on Spanish cases presented by French sources in the past.
Personally consider this detail of minor importance from our viewpoint, in view initial consideration by American representative in Spain, under the guidance of enemy trading rules of evidence from War Trade Board. Request for my guidance in future discussion you advise me your views as to first proposed local conference by respective ministers on evidence against enemy traders with consequent recommendation seclusion proposed review of such cases at Washington and London, possibly Paris, before publication. Assuming you concur with above proposals, would it not be desirable have American Ministers in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Holland, Spain, and Greece, respectively, transmit their recommendations together with supporting evidence direct to War Trade Board Office, London, for preliminary examination here and immediate despatch to Washington. Such operation would facilitate review work in proposal to above, would insure verification of attitude our local representative and should expedite action.