File No. 763.72113/618

The Assistant Secretary of State ( Phillips) to the Counselor of the British Embassy ( Barclay)

Dear Mr. Barclay: Upon receipt of your informal note No. 745 of the 1st instant,1 inquiring whether the Government of the United States has yet decided what policy it will adopt in regard to requests from enemy countries for information as to German estates and assets under liquidation in this country, I at once inquired into the matter and have ascertained that while, of course, some publicity is given in this country when enemy property is taken over, the amount and value thereof is never given out, and no attention has been paid to requests of enemy persons for information relative to the amount of assets in the hands of the Alien Property Custodian or the disposition thereof. This Government is in accord with that of Great Britain in deeming it inadvisable to communicate such information.

I am [etc.]

William Phillips
  1. Not printed.