793.94 Commission/882: Telegram
The Minister in Switzerland (Wilson) to the Secretary of State
[Received March 11—3:50 p.m.]
145. My 142, March 8, 9 p.m.58 Simon asked me whether I had any information as to my Government’s views on the matter of an embargo to the Far East and I replied that I had not. He stated that he understood from Washington that action by our Government could only be taken after special legislation passed Congress. I replied that this was my understanding of the matter. He stated that since he arrived here he had ascertained that a number of states would require such legislation before taking action. He added that Great Britain had laws by which the Government could stop shipments at the ports by Executive Act but that he had been unable to find any other producing states in the same situation. Therefore his present thought was that common action would necessarily have to be delayed for an indefinite period; that the British Government had taken its action in order to draw attention to the matter; that he was now about to report to the Cabinet what the situation was, and was under the impression that the Cabinet would decide to lift the embargo.
- It read: “British delegation had just made an appointment with me to see Sir John Simon on Saturday morning. Simon telegraphed that he desired to talk about embargo on arms to the Far East” (783.91 Commission/869)↩