File No. 600.119/613
The Ambassador in Great Britain ( Page) to the Secretary of State
[Received 9.27 p.m.]
9311. War Trade Board [from Sheldon]:
No. 365. Following is text of a communication that was cabled by the Foreign Office to the British ministers at The Hague, Copenhagen, Stockholm, and Christiania, for distribution to American, French, and Italian ministers, in each city:
The Allied Blockade Committee has been established here, with representatives of the United States, France, Italy, and Great Britain, to supervise, subject to directions of their Governments, general questions connected with blockade. Contraband Committee, which now contains Allied representatives, continues its functions unaltered except that it will refer all large questions of principle to A. B. C.
[Page 979]Two meetings of latter have already been held and constitution and functions of local joint trade committees in neutral capitals were considered. Constitution, machinery, and, therefore, committees will vary in the several capitals, the essential thing being that close cooperation between the four Allies on blockade matters should be insured.
While considerable latitude should be left to local committees, the general principle is that their function should be advisory and not executive, except to the extent that executive functions may be delegated by the A. B. C. in specific cases. More specifically, it will be the duty of the local committees:
- (1)
- To arrange with local import organizations or governments so that local committees will be promptly informed of all applications for import and to consult with local organizations should occasion arise;
- (2)
- To receive and transmit to the Contraband Committee in London all guarantees, with comments whenever desirable (present system in Denmark should, however, be maintained);
- (3)
- To watch the working of local import organizations and to report whether these organizations are conforming with undertakings against reexport, etc.;
- (4)
- To ascertain, in case the agreements are signed, that the goods which the Allies are entitled to receive are supplied in the quantities and at the times fixed;
- (5)
- To study general trade conditions with a view to making recommendations as to methods by which the blockade may be rendered more effective;
- (6)
- To investigate and report on all statistical questions, such as rations or embargoes, and also all questions concerning consignees or local trade conditions which may be referred to them.
Reports and communications of the local committees other than guarantees for Contraband Committee should be made to the several Allied ministers for transmission to Governments, and copies sent to representatives on Allied Blockade Committee.1
Above represents general outline of transfer of functions from British legations to the local committees which will of course be effective with as little interference as possible with existing machinery. Their powers must, to some extent, depend upon agreements not yet completed. Please telegraph any comments or criticisms which your local committees may desire to make.
I have cabled our ministers in the four capitals mentioned. Please cable me any suggestions for alteration, but, if you approve as it stands, suggest you cable officially, notifying ministers matter has your approval.