665.1115/10: Telegram
The Ambassador in Italy (Long) to the Secretary of State
[Received February 3—7:24 a.m.]
46. My telegram No. 42, February 1, noon. Yesterday evening I talked to Signor Mussolini and, amongst other things, mentioned matters referred to in mine under reference. He manifested a keen and immediate interest and said that he would be very gratified if he could come to some arrangement with the United States quickly and separate from the general trade negotiations which would necessarily be slow. He said the need of Italy and the need of the world is an increased volume of foreign trade and that Italy was particularly interested in the exchange of agricultural products. He asked if I really thought there was a chance that we could have some agreement on some few articles so as to make some immediate advance in the volume of trade. I told him that from my conversation at home, referred to in my telegram under reference, I did think so. He replied that he would be very much pleased and asked when I could start conversations. I told him immediately. He said that he would ask Mr. Suvich to communicate with me in the immediate future and that he hoped very much some definite and mutually beneficial arrangement might be arrived at in advance of the more general agreements to follow. He said that he was sending a commission to Washington some time next month but that any benefits to be expected from those negotiations would necessarily be postponed for many months in the future.