File No. 600.119/561
The Acting Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Great Britain ( Page)
6781. For Sheldon [from War Trade Board]:
No. 169. Embassy’s No. 8865, your No. 216, March 1, 10 p.m. We agree that local joint committees should include representatives [Page 970] of French and Italian Governments. The British Embassy is in accord with this plan. If Foreign Office likewise agrees, please advise us, and we will instruct Legations at Holland, Sweden, Norway, and Denmark accordingly.
It was not our thought to disturb the existing status of Contraband Committee with Frothingham as War Trade Board representative on it. Our feeling is that you, as principal representative of Board in London, could not afford to sit on this Contraband Committee which, as we see it, must in a sense be a subsidiary committee on which we should have a representative, but who should be under your direction.
In reference to inter-Allied export control committee which you propose, please advise in greater detail as to precise functions which in your opinion this committee would have. Your earlier statement concerning this committee seems to us to indicate that it might duplicate somewhat work of Contraband Committee.