File No. 658.119/208

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

[Telegram]

6748. For Sheldon [from War Trade Board]:

No. 155. Your 154, February 13, 8638, 10 a.m., has been considered together with draft Swedish tonnage proposals of January 211 brought over by Captain Fisher, and the following are our suggestions and comments.

1.
Tonnage proposals state duration of charters as follows:2 “for a period of not less than six months and at the end of the first three months and at the end of each subsequent period of three months will be renewed for a further three months if the agreement is still in force.” We presume agreement referred to is the agreement for rationing Sweden but if this is so it should be more definitely stated.
2.
We feel that you should know, if you are not already informed, that the tonnage remaining to Sweden after chartering 500,000 tons will not lift the ration you propose which is much larger than Sweden needs. In case Sweden asks a reduction of the tonnage to be chartered on the ground that the tonnage reserved for them will not be sufficient to lift their ration the following reductions in their commodities are proper: 100,000 tons bread grains will last them until October 1. They should not secure any oats, fodder, maize or oil cake before October 1. They can not obtain 20,000 tons linseed from United States and should not obtain it at all, and all other technical oils should be reduced to 6,000 tons. Edible oils and fats should be reduced to 5,000 tons. Cotton should be reduced to 15,000 tons. No saltpeter should be secured for use before October 1. Raw phosphate should be reduced to 50,000 tons from United States and Tunis. They should have no sugar. Their rice should be reduced to 5,000 tons and their coffee to 20,000 tons. The foregoing together with the quantities of the other commodities as stated by you are what we are willing to concede as her needs.
3.
Inasmuch as tonnage proposals depend for duration of charter upon the continuance of rationing agreement we should know definitely what is the intended period of this agreement and it should not be less than a year as it is very necessary that we obtain tonnage for as long a period as possible.
4.
Notwithstanding foregoing comments and suggestions, in case you conclude to close on tonnage proposal as drawn and upon rationing as outlined your cable, you have our authority to proceed.
Polk
  1. Not printed; the correspondence indicates the differences between it and the final arrangement, post, p. 1253.
  2. Cf. clause 14 of the final arrangement, post, p. 1258.