File No. 763.72112/9935
The Chargé in France ( Bliss) to the Secretary of State
[Received August 28, 12 noon.]
4892. War Trade Board, Bureau Enemy Trade [from McFadden]:
No. 372. Your No. 266 and 268.1 Mr. Seydoux, charged by French Government with the administration of these subjects, is absent on holiday and will not return for two weeks, and in the meantime no official action will be taken in connection therewith by French. The French delegate on committee informs us that they are in receipt of despatch from their representative Washington indicating that the subject is not clearly understood by their representatives. [Page 1042] We believe that your proposals as to enemy trading licenses are acceptable the French and British except in the following cases:
- (1)
- The Paris committee shall have no jurisdiction in cases where one of the parties to the proposed transaction is an Allied or a neutral government.
- (2)
- The British, French, and ourselves are not quite clear as to whether the committee shall deal with the granting of licenses to trade with all enemy subjects or only with enemy subjects on black list in the countries under consideration.
Will you please inform us concerning your views in connection with the above? We are in receipt of War Trade Board, Rome, despatch No. 5, to you, relative to this matter.1 McFadden.