File No. 855.48/804
The Chargé in Great Britain ( Laughlin) to the Secretary of State
[Received 9.15 p.m.]
3075. For Hoover [from Poland]:
140. Thursday. Your unnumbered October 24 [23] in answer to our 132.1 My 138 explains that with the 20,000,000 British military rations and 20,000,000 balanced rations held in reserve by Belgian Government the 800,000 people of the released population Belgian territory should be protected for nearly two months. In addition we have several thousand tons supplies in Rotterdam imported without German safe-conduct and shall receive considerably more from the United Kingdom under these circumstances. Although we have technical right to ship German safe-conduct supplies into released territories, in view of critical situation of 7,500,000 people still in occupied territory should Germans seek to take advantage of what they might claim to be violation on our part, I thought it best to be safe and demand their acquiescence, particularly as in view of their refusing we shall have time to despatch cargoes without safe-conducts direct from United Kingdom to Flushing to meet demand of released territories. I assume in this case vessels would be despatched to convenient British or French ports, thence conveyed to Flushing. Am discussing with Admiralty and Admiral Sims, Poland.
- Not printed.↩