856D.6176/373: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Minister in the Netherlands (Emmet)
43. Department’s telegram 38, December 5,11a and your 68, December 12. It was the intention of the Department to request you to place the position of this Government in some detail before the Netherland Government, quite independently of the informal support to be given to the representations of Colonel Townsend and associates. This Government has a very important interest in the international rubber situation, not only because of its concern with the general interests of ultimate consumers, as differentiated from the interests of rubber manufacturers, but also because of its concern with the supply of rubber which would be required in the event of a national emergency.
[Page 519]It is requested, therefore, that you place these general considerations and the position outlined in the Department’s telegram of December 5 before the appropriate officials of the Netherland Government, pointing out that in the opinion of this Government the action taken by the International Rubber Regulation Committee at its December meeting is not likely to correct fully the tendency toward even more inadequate supplies of rubber and unjustifiably high prices. In view of the reasonable position taken heretofore by the Netherland Government with regard to international rubber regulation, it is the hope of this Government that the Netherland Government will take such action as it can within the premises to ameliorate the situation, particularly by providing as promptly as possible a maximum release of rubber in the Netherland Indies.