File No. 600.119/565
The Ambassador in Great Britain ( Page ) to the Secretary of State
[Received March 4, 7.25 p.m.]
8891. War Trade Board [from Sheldon]:
No. 223 referring your No. 113. I believe we are now in complete agreement with the Foreign Office on the plan proposed and are ready to have you put the system in operation. It has been suggested that paragraph 3 of your 113 might be changed to advantage in the following way. The buyer would submit applications in duplicate for a permit from trading organization, one of these applications would be immediately handed to the local joint committee which would be in close contact with the trading organization, going over suitable cases might decide the trading organization not to issue the permit in case the local joint committee felt that it could not eventually approve the permit. In the past the permits have usually been forwarded by the trading organization direct to the London contraband committee. I think this might be continued rather than have a local joint committee act as a post office for this purpose, always provided the joint committee were posted on the fact that the permit had been granted. Please advise as to whether you approve this suggestion.