File No. 656.119/122
The Ambassador in Great Britain ( Page) to the Secretary of State
[Received 11.15 p.m.]
8161. Following for War Trade Board from Sheldon:
No. 3. Referring Frothingham’s telegram to War Trade Board, No. 34, December 4.1 I hope early decision will be reached regarding discontinuance or otherwise navicerts as affecting Dutch tonnage to lift their own rations under part [provisional?] Dutch agreement. Tonnage proposals for ultimate agreement presume continuance of Halifax visits which Dutch seem to object to. While calls at Halifax ought not to be objected to by Dutch and for [under?] provisional modus operandi, the question is more serious for tonnage arrangements under definite agreement. If the system of navicerts be not abandoned it should be understood for purposes of American prestige in Holland that system is approved by Allies and not dictated solely by His Majesty’s Government. An early reply will be appreciated.
- Not printed.↩