File No. 763.72112/7747
The Ambassador in Great Britain ( Page ) to the Secretary of State
[Received March 27, 8.23 a.m.]
9232. War Trade Board, from Stockholm:
March 26, noon. For Sheldon from Owen. Repeat to War Trade Board. Uniform inter-Allied enemy trading rulings and lists very essential or we should know before accepting import applications in Scandinavia whether we are to accept British statutory and other lists as final criterion of importers’ character, or that they will accept our War Trade Intelligence rulings of enemy trading act; we shall have to recommend refusal of applications to many importers whom other Allies regard as white, and vice versa. Conscientious American exporters interpreting enemy trading under strict reading of act would refrain from applying for export licenses for majority Scandinavian wholesalers. Should we indiscriminately regard as enemy traders reputable neutral importers holding selling agencies for enemy firms where present chances of trading are very small but will not relinquish old established relations? Believe chances of diverting trade formerly controlled by enemy manufacturers or Hamburg, Bremen commission houses would be to encourage such importers trading with America.