File No. 600.119/1507
The Ambassador in France ( Sharp) to the Secretary of State
[Received October 17, 10.21 a.m.]
5445. War Trade Board [from McFadden]:
No. 509, referring to Department’s No. 5886, October 12, your No. 369. We had already received copy of same from Dresel and were greatly surprised to note his comments as regards the A[llied] B[lockade] C[ommittee], Paris, but as Berne had received copies of all cables exchanged between Washington and Paris relative to this subject, and as they had made no comment in connection therewith, we did not suppose they were opposed to our suggestion. The effectiveness and usefulness of the A. B. C, Paris, will depend upon whether or not the British Government will appoint a delegate whose recommendations in connection with blockade questions will have the confidence and respect of the British Blockade Ministry. Replying seriatim to the various objections contained in Berne’s cable:
- 1.
- It would be the policy and purpose of the A. B. C., Paris, to confer and cooperate with the local A.B.C. at Berne and Madrid with the object of coordinating and making common recommendations to the blockade ministries or war trade departments of the various Associated Governments.
- 2.
- It would be purpose to [of] the A. B. C, Paris, to agree on policy with the local A. B. C.’s [at] Berne and Madrid on all blockade questions and then support their recommendations as made to the Foreign Offices of the Swiss and the Spanish Governments after same have been appointed to [approved by?] home Governments. In other words, it would be the policy of Paris to strengthen and not weaken the effectiveness and efficiency of the local A. B. C., Berne and Madrid.
- 3.
- As the delegates of the A. B. C., Paris, would be in personal contact with the French Blockade Minister and also with [Page 1003] the various services of the A. E. F., therefore data and information obtainable Paris should be to the advantage of and not to the disadvantage of the local A. B. C.’s. We have pointed out to Dresel as an example of value of Paris A. B. C. that we thought by means thereof a common policy might have been secured last summer, both as regards purchaser [sic] Austrian-German tonnage by Swiss, and also better understanding, etc., of Swiss cotton question. McFadden.