File No. 763.72112/10139

The Ambassador in Great Britain ( Page) to the Secretary of State

[Telegram]

1906. War Trade Board [from Frothingham]:

No. 1441. Supplementing our 1379, September 5.1 Inter-Allied review committee submits following proposal, with which British Foreign Office agrees, for views of Associated Governments. Portuguese Government should be informed that (a) published black lists for Portugal (British statutory list) would be withdrawn, and (b) American enemy trade list for Portugal should not be instituted provided:

(1)
Portugal will adopt a published black list for South America or in some other form give effective support to black list policy in South America;
(2)
Liquidation of German firms in Portugal is accelerated to such a point as to satisfy four Allied representatives in Lisbon that this policy is being effectively pursued;
(3)
Any other conditions in this connection considered possible and desirable by Allied ministers in Lisbon be met.

At the same time it should be made clear to Portugal that in the event of withdrawal of published black lists, confidential black lists for Portugal could still be used by Associated Governments to prevent any inequality of treatment to subjects of those of the Allies [Page 1061] whose laws prohibit trade with enemy nationals irrespective of the existence of published black lists. For example French law prohibits any Frenchman from trade with a German whether or not that German is on a published list. Referring condition (1) above, Portuguese adoption of [published] black list is confined to South America account probability of serious political objection to adoption such a list for Spain. On the other hand, with reference to condition (3), it might be possible and desirable to press for additional restrictions on trade across Spanish frontier in view of Portugal’s fight for withdrawal of stat[utory] list. The notice of not publishing an American enemy trading list for Portugal contains an implication that may have greatest single effect. Please advise whether you concur in submission of joint communication as above by British, French, Italian, and American representatives at Lisbon. Frothingham.

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