File No. 658.119/286
The Secretary of State to the Minister in Sweden ( Morris)
673. Your No. 1787, March 28, 7 p.m. We are of the opinion that it would be most unwise to consider requisitioning of Swedish ships, [Page 1216] particularly at the present time when feeling in Scandinavia has doubtless been aroused over our putting Dutch ships into service. Your action in refraining from joining in Allied ministers’ recommendation is approved. Aside from considerations of policy which in themselves would be sufficient to preclude requisitioning, the Swedish situation is clearly distinguishable from that of Holland where the futility of attempting to secure use of ships by agreement had been conclusively demonstrated by the inability of Holland to carry out temporary shipping agreement which she had herself proposed. This showed a liability to coercion by Germany which would have made any shipping agreement with Holland valueless. In case of Sweden the modus vivendi is being carried out, though slowly, and despite German threats Swedish ships are being placed under charter to United States for war zone service. We have as yet no reason to doubt that when Swedish vessel sails from here corresponding vessel will sail from Sweden according to modus vivendi. We are therefore strongly of the opinion that requisition should not now be considered.
We propose to allow a certain amount of unofficial publicity to our rationing proposals to Sweden in hope that this will stimulate conclusion of agreement.