File No. 654.119/624a

The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in France ( Sharp)

[Telegram]

6203. For McFadden [from War Trade Board]:

No. 429. Dresel and Major Moore are now here and Sulzer has been here for several days and is pressing for opening of negotiations. We accordingly desire from you at the earliest possible moment the result of the studies which have been made by British, French, and yourself at Paris on various points involved in these negotiations such as extent of lumber requirements, financial credits, etc., which it is desired we negotiate for and also estimates as to rations which can safely be offered to Switzerland. We feel that through your previous cables and Sheldon’s, and data which Dresel has, and as result of our own studies, we have greater part of this information but we desire your confirmation. On November 4, we submitted to British Embassy and French High Commission a tentative memorandum expressing our views as to bases of negotiations and we expect to discuss this with them further today. We have, however, in no way opened negotiations with Swiss as yet, although this cannot now be deferred longer.

Lansing