File No. 656.119/540a
The Acting Secretary of State to the Chargé in Great Britain ( Laughlin)
8166. For Sheldon [from War Trade Board]:
No. 640. Doctor Taylor is now discussing with Netherlands Chargé the questions of Dutch colonial trade, and particularly interchange of products between Netherlands East Indies and the United States. It is expected that within the course of a few days this informal discussion will have reached a point where we are clearly advised as to precisely what the colonial authorities desire us to import from them and to export to them in exchange for their permitting the export to us of essential commodities. Doctor Taylor then expects to proceed at once to London to participate and cooperate with you in the negotiations for a general agreement. It is felt by us that it is essential that these negotiations for a general agreement should be conducted in the light of a first-hand knowledge as to the trade relations between this country and the Dutch colonies and you can appreciate that there may be difficulty in meeting fully the wishes and expectations of Dutch on colonial matters in view, on the one hand, of our program of import restriction, and on the other hand, of assurances of intent to facilitate Dutch colonial trade, which assurances were given at time of requisition of Dutch ships.
Repeat to The Hague.